Performance of gelled-type dye-sensitized solar cells associated with glass transition temperature of the gelatinizing polymers

Poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and poly(n-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) with their respective Tg of 6, 32, and 145 °C were employed to gel the LiI/I2/tertiary butylpyridine electrolyte system for preparation of the gelled-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The light-to-electricity conversion efficiencies of DSSCs gelled by PMA, PVAc, and PNIPAAm were 7.17%, 5.62%, and 3.17%, respectively under simulated AM 1.5 sunlight irradiation, implying that utilizing the polymer of lower Tg to gel the electrolytes leaded to better performance of the DSSCs. Their short-circuit current density and IPCE also showed the similar trend. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the gelled DSSCs revealed that utilizing the polymer of lower Tg resulted in lower impedance associated with the Nernstian diffusion within the electrolytes. The results were consistent with the observation that the molar conductivity of gelled electrolytes was higher as the polymer of lower Tg was applied, which can be justified by Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) equation.