Solar Cells: Triple‐Layer Structured Composite Separator Membranes with Dual Pore Structures and Improved Interfacial Contact for Sustainable Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells (Adv. Energy Mater. 13/2014)

In Situ Formation of Continuous Charge Transfer Pathways for Highly Efficient, Solvent-Free, Polymer Electrolyte-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

“…Consequently, the average coil size of the PEO and PVDF is approximately 49 and 27 nm, respectively. It is obvious that the infiltration of these polymers is difficult, because the average pore size of TiO 2 films in typical DSSCs is always less than 25 nm. − Therefore, it is challenging to infiltrate a polymer electrolyte from top (outside surface) to bottom (TiO 2 /substrate interface) of the porous films. − Considering the fact that the light intensity incident on the bottom region is much higher than that on the top region of the TiO 2 film, the inaccessibility of electrolytes to the bottom TiO 2 region has an absolutely detrimental effect on the overall photovoltaic performance of the DSSCs. , To facilitate infiltration, a couple of methods have been proposed to increase the pore size in the traditional nanoporous films, such as plasma treatment, , hybrid structures, − microbeads fabricated by wet chemistry, − and colloidal crystal template. − By manipulating the microstructures of the TiO 2 films, the filling ratio has been improved. , However, a further improvement of the infiltration effect is still necessary.…”