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Nanocomposite Semi‐Solid Redox Ionic Liquid Electrolytes with Enhanced Charge‐Transport Capabilities for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Rutkowska Iwona A.,
Marszalek Magdalena,
Orlowska Justyna,
Ozimek Weronika,
Zakeeruddin Shaik M.,
Kulesza Pawel J.,
Grätzel Michael
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201403475
Subject(s) - ionic liquid , nanocomposite , electrolyte , redox , chemical engineering , dye sensitized solar cell , materials science , ionic conductivity , chemistry , nanotechnology , inorganic chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering
The ability of Pt nanostructures to induce the splitting of the II bond in iodine (triiodide) molecules is explored here to enhance electron transfer in the iodine/iodide redox couple. Following the dispersal of Pt nanoparticles at 2 % (weight) level, charge transport was accelerated in triiodide/iodide‐containing 1,3‐dialkylimidazolium room‐temperature ionic liquid. If both Pt nanoparticles and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes were introduced into the ionic‐liquid‐based system, a solid‐type (nonfluid) electrolyte was obtained. By using solid‐state voltammetric (both sandwich‐type and microelectrode‐based) methodology, the apparent diffusion coefficients for charge transport increased to approximately 1×10 −6 cm 2 s −1 upon the incorporation of the carbon‐nanotube‐supported iodine‐modified Pt nanostructures. A dye‐sensitized solar cell comprising TiO 2 covered with a heteroleptic Ru II ‐type sensitizer (dye) and the semisolid triiodide/iodide ionic liquid electrolyte admixed with carbon‐nanotube‐supported Pt nanostructures yielded somewhat higher power conversion efficiencies (up to 7.9 % under standard reporting conditions) than those of the analogous Pt‐free system.