Gel electrolytes for dye sensitized solar cells
View Patent ↗Replacing liquid electrolytes with solid or quasi-solid electrolytes facilitates the production of photovoltaic cells using continuous manufacturing processes, such as roll-to-roll or web processes, thus creating inexpensive, lightweight photovoltaic cells using flexible plastic substrates.
1. A photovoltaic cell comprising:
first and second significantly light transmitting substrates;
a photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material disposed between the first and second significantly light transmitting substrates, wherein the photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material comprises nanoparticles linked by a polymeric linking agent; and
an electrolyte redox system also disposed between the first and second significantly light transmitting substrates, wherein the electrolyte redox system comprises a metal ion complexed to at least one organic compound.
2. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises an electrolyte solution.
3. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the metal ion is a lithium ion.
4. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein least one organic compound comprises a polymeric compound.
5. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one organic compound is selected from the group consisting of poly(4-vinyl pyridine), poly(2-vinyl pyridine), polyethylene oxide, polyurethanes, and polyamides.
6. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the metal ion is introduced to the electrolyte redox system as a lithium salt.
7. The photovoltaic cell of claim 6 , wherein the lithium salt has the formula LiX, wherein X is an iodide, bromide, chloride, perchlorate, thiocyanate, trifluoromethyl sulfonate, or hexafluorophosphate.
8. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises iodine at a concentration of at least about 0.05 M.
9. The photovoltaic cell of claim 2 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprises:
an imidazolium iodide-based ionic liquid having an iodine concentration of at least 0.05 M; and
methyl-benzimidazole.
10. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material comprises titania.
11. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the metal ion complexes the at least one organic compound at a plurality at sites.
12. A method for use in forming a solar cell, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a photovoltaic cell portion comprising a photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material, wherein the photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material comprises nanoparticles linked by a polymeric linking agent;
providing an electrolyte solution comprising a compound capable of complexing at a plurality of sites;
adding a compound MX to the electrolyte solution in a sufficient amount such that M complexes with the compound capable of complexing at a plurality of sites to form a gel electrolyte, wherein M is a metal and X is an anion; and
adding the gel electrolyte to the photovoltaic cell portion.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material comprises titania.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Li, Cu, Ba, Zn, Ni, lanthanides, Co, Ca, Al, and Mg.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the anion is selected from the group consisting of halogens, perchlorates, thiocyanates, trifluoromethyl sulfonates, and hexafluorophosphates.
16. A photovoltaic cell comprising:
first and second significantly light transmitting substrates;
a photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material disposed between the first and second significantly light transmitting substrates; and
an electrolyte redox system also disposed between the first and second significantly light transmitting substrates, wherein the electrolyte redox system comprises a lithium ion complexed to at least one organic compound,
wherein the organic compound is selected from the group consisting of poly(4-vinyl pyridine), poly(2-vinyl pyridine), and co-polymers thereof.
17. The photovoltaic cell of claim 16 , wherein the organic compound is poly(4-vinyl pyridine).
18. The photovoltaic cell of claim 16 , wherein the lithium ion is introduced to the electrolyte redox system as a lithium salt.
19. The photovoltaic cell of claim 18 , wherein the lithium salt has the formula LiX, wherein X is an iodide, bromide, chloride, perchlorate, thiocyanate, trifluoromethyl sulfonate, or hexafluorophosphate.
20. The photovoltaic cell of claim 19 , wherein the lithium salt is lithium iodide.
21. The photovoltaic cell of claim 16 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises imidazolium iodide.
22. The photovoltaic cell of claim 16 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises a substituted imidazolium iodide.
23. The photovoltaic cell of claim 22 , wherein the substituted imidazolium iodide is selected from the group consisting of methylpropylimidazolium iodide, methylbutylimidazolium iodide, methylbutylimidazolium iodide, end mixtures thereof.
24. The photovoltaic cell of claim 16 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises iodine at a concentration of at least about 0.05 M.
25. A method for use in forming a solar cell, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a photovoltaic cell portion comprising a dye-sensitized layer;
providing an electrolyte solution comprising a compound capable of complexing at a plurality of sites, wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of poly(4-vinyl pyridine), poly(2-vinyl pyridine), and co-polymers thereof;
adding a lithium compound to the electrolyte solution in a sufficient amount such that the lithium complexes with the compound capable of complexing at a plurality of sites to form a gel electrolyte; and
adding the gel electrolyte to the photovoltaic cell portion.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the lithium compound has the formula LiX, wherein X is an iodide, bromide, chloride, perchlorate, thiocyanate, trifluoromethyl sulfonate, or hexafluorophosphate.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the lithium salt is lithium iodide.
28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the electrolyte solution further comprises imidazolium iodide.
29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the electrolyte solution further comprises a substituted imidazolium iodide.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the substituted imidazolium iodide is selected from the group consisting of butylmethylimidazolium iodide, propylmethylimidazolium iodide, and mixtures thereof.
31. The method of claim 25 , wherein the organic compound is poly(4-vinyl pyridine).
32. The method of claim 25 , wherein the dye-sensitized layer comprises titania.