Study on effect of polymer membrane based quasi solid electrolytes towards current-voltage characteristics of dye sensitized solar cell / Wan Nur Ainna Amirah Binti Wan Zulkifli

Faculty of Electrical & Electronics Engineering Technology

Thesis (Master of Science) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang – 2025

The potential of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as affordable and environmentally friendly photovoltaic systems have garnered significant attention. While liquid electrolytes in DSSCs offer high efficiency, they have drawbacks such as leakage, solvent evaporation, and limited long-term stability, reducing device reliability. In addition, previous research often overlooks how hydrophilicity, which enhances conductivity by improving ion movement, is crucial for effective quasi-solid electrolytes in DSSCs. This highlights the need to identify new materials with better hydrophilicity and conductivity as alternatives to conventional polymers. This study addresses these gaps by investigating how polymer membrane based quasi-solid electrolytes affect the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of DSSCs. This study aims to determine the surface hydrophilicity of different polymer membrane materials as quasi-solid electrolytes for DSSCs, to establish a relationship between these membranes' electrical conductivity and surface hydrophilicity, and to evaluate their overall performance as DSSCs’ structures. To achieve these objectives, Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), Polyethersulfone (PES), Polysulfone (PSf), and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were prepared and characterized for their surface hydrophilicities and morphologies. The polymer membranes were characterized using contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrical conductivity of the membranes was evaluated through conductivity measurement, and the performance of the DSSCs, which incorporated these membranes as quasi-solid electrolytes, was analyzed through I-V characterization. The results demonstrated that the hydrophilicity of the membranes significantly influences their conductivity. Specifically, membranes with higher hydrophilicity correlate to improved electrical conductivity due to better absorption and movement of ions through the polymer. Among the tested membranes, the PES membrane, with its higher hydrophilicity and conductivity, showed the best performance of short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) with 0.537 mA/cm², 460.526 mV, 88.660 % and 0.219 %, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of selecting materials with optimal surface properties, demonstrating that enhancing membrane hydrophilicity and conductivity can significantly improve DSSC performance. This work provides key insights for developing efficient quasi-solid electrolytes for DSSCs.