Mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode with ionic liquid-based solid polymer electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cell application

Abstract

Thick mesoporous TiO2 films with excellent properties have been prepared for dye-sensitized solar cell application using doctor-blade method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) show the highly crystalline mesoporous anatase TiO2 framework. On the other hand new solid electrolytes based on ionic liquid (IL) 1-methyl 3-propyl imidazolium iodide (PMII) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were prepared in film form and placed on porous-sensitized TiO2 electrode following two-step casting technique. The doping of IL further provided large numbers of ions, resulting in the enhancement in conductivity and good solar cell performance. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.