Impedance spectroscopy on dye-sensitized solar cells with a poly(ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) counter electrolyte

We have successfully fabricated the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) devices using ruthenium complex dye, polymer electrolytes, and poly(ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) as a counter electrode. The overall power conversion efficiencies of the devices using polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) as polymer electrolytes were 4.08%, 3.87%, 0.49%, and 0.20%, respectively, while the efficiencies of DSSC devices using Pt counter electrodes showed similar values of 5.7 ± 0.1%. The differences in the efficiencies and the charge transfer resistances (RCT) of the DSSCs with various polymer electrolytes and counter electrodes were measured by using an electrochemical impedance analyzer (EIS) and are discussed.