Synthesis of quaternized ammonium iodide-containing conjugated polymer electrolytes and their application in dye-sensitized solar cells

A series of conjugated polymer electrolytes (CPEs) comprising fluorene/carbazole or thiophene/carbazole backbones with quaternized ammonium iodide groups were synthesized and used in polymer solution and polymer gel electrolytes in dyesensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The photovoltaic (PV) performances became markedly poorer with increasing CPE content for the DSSCs based on polymer solution electrolytes. However, the PV performances were not significantly affected with increasing CPE content for the DSSCs fabricated from poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/CPE blend-based gel-type electrolytes. Moreover, higher PV efficiencies and stabilities were obtained for the DSSCs based on PEO/CPE blend gel electrolytes as compared to the DSSCs based on PEO gel electrolyte. The electrochemical impedance and PV properties of the DSSCs based on polymer solution electrolytes and on polymer gel electrolytes were determined as a function of the CPE concentration. (C) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry