A new approach to improve the performance of electrolytes in dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs) has been developed by Japanese scientists.

DSSCs are photoelectrochemical cells used to convert sunlight into electricity. A liquid electrolyte, able to transport charge, is a vital DSSC component. Potential electrolytes in both organic solvents and ionic liquids have already been tested but suffer drawbacks such as a low durability or low conductivity.

Shozo Yanagida and colleagues at Osaka University and Yokohama National University have developed a strategy to improve the conductivity of ionic liquid electrolytes. The strategy is based on organising conductive pathways for the fast transport of charge.

An ionic liquid crystal (ILC), the liquid crystal phase of an ionic liquid, can achieve just that. The ILC's structure self-assembles, allowing conductive pathways to form. This leads to better conduction.

Yanagida's team used the ILC in a DSSC, which showed better light-to-energy conversion efficiency than previous systems.

Meriel Dyche

M E Howard and R D Vocke Jr, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2004, 19, 1423