Efficient, stable, and flexible dye-sensitized solar cells based on nanocomposite gel electrolytes

We have fabricated efficient and stable full-plastic dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) based on nanocomposite gel electrolytes. Different compositions of binder-free nanocrystalline TiO₂ pastes combined with mechanical compression technique were employed to prepare TiO₂ photoanodes on indium-doped tin oxide coated polyethylene naphthalate. The performance and durability of plastic-based DSCs using nanocomposite gel electrolytes which contain ceramic nanoparticles in 3-methoxypropionitrile (MPN)-based or binary ionic liquid electrolyteswere investigated. The results show that the compressed photoelectrode composed of commercial titanium powders P25 and 100 nm TiO ₂ powders in conjunction with a TiO₂ solidified MPN-based nanocomposite gel electrolyte achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 6.49%. Moreover, the DSCs based on TiO₂ solidified bi-IL electrolyte were found to provide better durability than MPN-based nanocomposite gel electrolyte, whereas the efficiency maintained >97% of its original efficiency after 500 h of aging test under continuous light irradiation (100 mW cm^-2) at 60 °C. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.