Preparation and Characterization of Polymer based Electrolytes for Dye-sensitized Solar Cell Application

Abstract

A gel-type polymer electrolyte (GPE) composite based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) conducting polymer plasticized with ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) doped by different compositions of tetrapentylammonium iodide (TPeAI) salt has been prepared and investigated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) techniques have been used to characterize the prepared GPEs. From the EIS study, it has been observed that 30 wt % TPeAIcontaining GPE has the lowest bulk impedance, Rb (32 ohm) and highest room-temperature ionic conductivity (2.4910-3 S cm-1). The conductivity vs temperature diagram in the range of studied temperature studied follows the Arrhenius rule. The values of activation energies, (Ea) are observed to decrease with the increase of the percentage of TPeAI percentage with the lowest values (8.50105 J/mol) for 30% TPeAI containing GPE. From LSV graphs for the GPE systems, various parameters such as the limiting current density (Jlim), the apparent diffusion coefficient of triiodide ion () and exchange current density (J0) have been estimated. The most conducting GPE material shows the highest values of Jlim (3.95 mA.cm-2), (7.86×10-8cm2 s-1) and J0 (0.46 mA.cm-2). The GPEs will be suitable for application in Dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC).

Keywords

• Gel Polymer Electrolytes (GPEs); Polyacrylonitrile (PAN); Tetrapentylammonium Iodide (TPeAI); Limiting Current Density; Exchange Current Density.