Photovoltaic Performance of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells assembled with Hybrid Composite Membrane based on Polypropylene Non-woven Matrix

Abstract

Hybrid composite membranes were prepared by coating poly(ethylene oxide) and SiO2 particles onto the porous polypropylene nonwoven matrix. Gel polymer electrolytes prepared by soaking the hybrid composite membranes in an organic electrolyte solution exhibited ionic conductivities higher than 1.1 x 10(-3) S cm(-1) at room temperature. Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) employing the hybrid composite membrane with PEO and 10 wt % SiO2 exhibited an open circuit voltage of 0.77 V and a short circuit current of 10.78 mA cm(-2) at an incident light intensity of 100 mW cm(-2), yielding a conversion efficiency of 5.2%. DSSC employing the hybrid composite membrane showed more stable photovoltaic performance than that of the DSSC assembled with liquid electrolyte.