Roles of layered titanates in ionic liquid electrolytes for quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cells(DSSCs) were prepared by using gel-state ionic liquid electrolytes containing layered titanates as gelator. These gelators were prepared by intercalating organic materials into interlayers of layered titanates and then dispersed within ionic liquid electrolytes. As a result, the quasi-solid DSSCs showed the enhancement of current density from 3(mA/cm(2)) to 4.5(mA/cm(2)) although the viscosity of electrolytes increased. The improvement of current density is explained by an increase in dissociation of ionic species as well as scattering effect of layered titanates. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.