Quasi-solid state

As aforementioned, the introduction of carbon nanomaterials is an effective strategy to take on some of the contemporary challenges in the field of DSSCs. In particular, enhanced charge injection and charge transport processes in carbon nanomaterial-doped electrodes, efficient carbon nanomaterial-based, iodine-free, quasi-solid state electrolytes, and the use of novel nanographene hybrids as dyes are some of the most stunning milestones. All of these milestones are considered as solid proof for the excellent prospect of carbon nanomaterials in DSSCs. The major goal of this chapter is to... 

Wang P, Zakeeruddin SM, Moser JE, Nazeeruddin MK, Sekiguchi T, Gratzel M (2003) A stable-quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cell with amphiphilic ruthenium sensitizer and polymer gel electrolyte. Nature Mater 2 402-406... 

Kubo, W. et al.. Quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using room temperature molten salts and a low molecular weight gelator, Chem. Commun., 374, 2002. 

Figure 17.12 Imidazolium salts employed as a I source in quasi-solid-state electrolytes. R and R are usually methyl and propyl or ethyl and methyl groups, respectively.

Nanosecond transient absorption measurements provided a further indication of efficient mediator transport within the nanopores of the gel, showing basically no difference in dye regeneration using the liquid iodide/iodine precursor and the quasi-solid-state polymeric electrolyte. 

The use of quasi-solid-state electrolytes usually reaches the goal of a superior thermal stability with respect to liquid electrolytes cells can survive prolonged periods (accelerated aging of 1000 h) at relatively high temperatures (55-80°C) under... 

D. Solid-State and Quasi-Solid-State DSSC... 

However, the presence of liquid electrolyte has the problems of leakage, robust sealing, and device stability, thus results in limited commercialization. Quasi-solid-state and solid-state DSSCs based on nonvolatile ionic liquid or organic hole-conducting material/polymer as the electrolyte are, therefore, developed to circumvent the sealing problem. 

Quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have been constructed using a new polymeric ionic fluid as the electrolyte.119 The electrolyte was synthesized by the sol-gel route using MTMSPI+I as the precursor that was made by derivatizing methylimidazolium with triethyoxysilane. Condensation of this material in the presence of formic acid and in the absence of water led to Si-O-Si-O-type polymerization and formation of a polysilsesquioxane-type structure. When this material was mixed with iodine, it served as a redox electrolyte for DSCs. The DSCs made this way are robust and easy to assemble but their efficiency of 3.1% is relatively low. However, possible improvement lies in modification of the organic groups attached to the polysilsesquioxane backbone. 

QUASI-SOLID-STATE DSSC SYSTEM USING RTILs BASED ON IODIDE... 

DSSCs prepared from this quasi-solid-state ionic liquid gel were stable under light at 60 °C for 1,000 h and had an efficiency of 6.3 % under simulated AM 1.5 frill sunlight, and the gelator had no influence on the performance of the solar cell. It was proposed that, after complete dissolution of the organogelator at elevated temperatures, the gelator molecules built up nanoscale fibrils due to the formation of hydrogen bonds by the amide and urea units and thus formed a three-dimensional network. This led to gelation of the ionic liquid mixture and hindered flow of the liquid. 

Zhong, J., Fan, L.-Q., Wu, X., Wu, J.-H., Liu, G.-J., Lin, J.-M., Huang, M.-L., Wei,Y.-L., 2015b. Improved energy density of quasi-solid-state supercapacitors using sandwich-type redox-active gel polymer electrolytes. Electrochim. Acta 166,150-156. 

Li M, Feng S, Fang S, Xiao X, Li X, Zhou X, Lin Y (2007) Quasi-solid state dye-sensitized solar cells based on p3uidine or imidazole containing copolymer chemically crosslinked gel... 

Recently, solid-state or quasi-solid-state electrolytes have received increasing attention since they can greatly promote the development of ESs for portable electronics, wearable electronics, printable electronics, microelectronics, and especially flexible electronic devices. 

Latoszynska, A. A., G. Z. Zukowska, I. A. Rutkowska et al. 2014. Non-aqueous gel polymer electrolyte with phosphoric acid ester and its application for quasi solid-state supercapacitors. Journal of Power Sources 274 1147-1154. 

Lu, X. H., M. H. Yu, T. Zhai et al. 2013. High energy density asymmetric quasi-solid-state supercapacitor based on porous vanadium nitride nanowire anode. Nano Letters 13 2628-2633. 

Jain, A., and S. K. Tripathi. 2013. Converting eucalyptus leaves into mesoporous carhon for its application in quasi solid-state supercapacitors. Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry 17 2545-2550. 

Hashmi, S. S. A. 2014. Quasi-solid-state pseudocapacitors using proton-conducting gel polymer electrolyte and poly(3-methyl thiophenej-ruthenium oxide composite electrodes. Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry 18 465-475. 

Yu, H., J. Wu, L. Fan et al. 2011. Improvement of the performance for quasi-solid-state supercapacitor by using PVA-KOH-KI polymer gel electrolyte. Electrochimica Acta 56 6881-6886. 

Yu, F. D., M. L. Huang, J. H. Wu et al. 2014. A redox-mediator-doped gel polymer electrolyte applied in quasi-solid-state supercapacitors. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 131 39784. 

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