Electrodes/electrolyte interfaces in the presence of a surface-modified photopolymer electrolyte: application in dye-sensitized solar cells.

ABSTRACT

Since hundreds of studies on photoanodes and cathodes show that the electrode/electrolyte interfaces represent a key aspect at the base of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performances, it is reported here that these interfaces can be managed by a smart design of the spatial composition of quasi-solid electrolytes. By means of a cheap, rapid, and green process of photoinduced polymerization, composition-tailored polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) with siloxane-enriched surfaces are prepared, and their properties are thoroughly described. When assembled in DSSCs, the interfacial action promoted by the composition-tailored PEMs enhances the photocurrent and fill factor values, thus increasing the global photovoltaic conversion efficiency with respect to the non-modified PEMs. Moreover, the presence of the siloxane-chain-enriched surface increases the hydrophobicity and reduces the water vapor permeation into the device, thus enhancing the cell's durability.