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 substrates, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is significantly light transmitting;
a photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material disposed between the first and second 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 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 the at 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. A photovoltaic cell comprising:
first and second substrates, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is significantly light transmitting;
a photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material disposed between the first and second 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 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.
11. The photovoltaic cell of claim 10 , wherein the organic compound is poly(4-vinyl pyridine).
12. The photovoltaic cell of claim 10 , wherein the lithium ion is introduced to the electrolyte redox system as a lithium salt.
13. The photovoltaic cell of claim 12 , wherein the lithium salt has the formula LiX, wherein X is an iodide, bromide, chloride, perchlorate, thiocyanate, trifluoromethyl sulfonate, or hexafluorophosphate.
14. The photovoltaic cell of claim 13 , wherein the lithium salt is lithium iodide.
15. The photovoltaic cell of claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises imidazolium iodide.
16. The photovoltaic cell of claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises a substituted imidazolium iodide.
17. The photovoltaic cell of claim 16 , wherein the substituted imidazolium iodide is selected from the group consisting of methylpropylimidazolium iodide, methylbutylimidazolium iodide, methylhexylimidazolium iodide, and mixtures thereof.
18. The photovoltaic cell of claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte redox system further comprises iodine at a concentration of at least about 0.05 M.