Effect of imidazole based polymer blend electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells in energy harvesting window glass applications

Publication date: Available online 15 July 2019Source: Chinese Journal of Chemical EngineeringAuthor(s): K.M. Manikandan, A. Yelilarasi, S.S. Saravanakumar, P. Senthamaraikannan, Anish Khan, Abdullah M. AsiriAbstractThe exploration of polymer electrolyte in the field of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) can contribute to increase the invention of renewable energy applications. In the present work, the influence of imidazole on the poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)- poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-Ethylene carbonate (EC)-KI-I2 polymer blend electrolytes have been prepared. The different weight percentage of imidazole added into polymer blend electrolytes has been prepared by solution casting. The prepared films were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), UV–visible spectra, photoluminescence spectra and impedance spectroscopy. The surface roughness texture of the film was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The ionic conductivity of the optimized polymer blend electrolyte by impedance measurement, which is 1.95 × 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature. The polymer electrolyte containing 40 wt% of imidazole content exhibits the highest photo-conversion efficiency of 3.04% under the illumination 100 mWcm−2. Moreover, a considerable enhancement in the stability of the DSSC device was demonstrated.Graphical abstract
Source: Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research