Gel electrolyte and dye-sensitized solar cell using the same

Abstract

A gel electrolyte including a non-volatile polymer solvent including hydrogen bonding groups with at least two hydrogen bonding sites, and a dye-sensitized solar cell including the gel electrolyte. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes: opposing first and second electrodes; a porous layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, including an adsorbed dye; and the gel electrolyte, which is disposed between the first and second electrodes.

1 . A dye sensitized solar cell comprising:
 opposing first and second electrodes;   a porous disposed between the first electrode and second electrode, comprising an adsorbed dye;   a gel electrolyte disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, comprising a non-volatile polymer solvent, the non-volatile polymer solvent comprising a first polymer having a hydrogen bonding group with at least two hydrogen bonding sites.   
     
     
         2 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte further comprises at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of TiO2, WO3, ZnO, Nb2O5, SnO2, SiO2 and TiSrO3. 
     
     
         3 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte further comprises iodine and an iodised salt. 
     
     
         4 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile polymer solvent further comprises a second polymer that is hydrogen bonded to the first polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte further comprises a diacid that is hydrogen boned to the first polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 5 , wherein the diacid comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of glutaric acid, malonic acid, and adipic acid. 
     
     
         7 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte further comprises an up-conversion phosphor and/or a down-conversion phosphor. 
     
     
         8 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the dye comprises RuL 2 (SCN) 2 , RuL 2 (H 2 O) 2 , RuL 3 , or RuL 2  (L is 2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylate). 
     
     
         9 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer is a polyalkylene oxide-based compound having a weight average molecular weight of 2000 g/mol, or less. 
     
     
         10 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by Formulae 1 to 3 below: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C20 aryl group, and a substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 heteroaryl group, R2 is selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C20 aryl group, and a substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 heteroaryl group, and a is an integer from 1 to 50; 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein b is an integer from 1 to 50; and 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein c is an integer from 1 to 50. 
       
     
     
         11 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 10 , wherein the compound of Formula 1 is represented by Formula 4: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein a is an integer from 1 to 33. 
       
     
     
         12 . The dye sensitized solar cell of  claim 4 , wherein the first polymer comprises a compound represented by Formula 2 below, and the second polymer comprises a compound represented by Formula 3 below: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein b is an integer from 1 to 50; and 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein c is an integer from 1 to 50.