In situ thermal polymerization of an ionic liquid monomer for quasi‐solid‐state dye‐sensitized solar cells

In situ thermal polymerization of a model ionic liquid monomer and ionic liquids mixture to form gel electrolytes is developed for quasi‐solid‐state dye‐sensitized solar cells (Q‐DSSCs). The chemical structures and thermal property of the monomers and polymer are investigated in detail. The effect of iodine concentration on the conductivity and triiodide diffusion of the gel electrolytes is also investigated in detail. The conductivity and triiodide diffusion of the gel electrolytes increase with the increasing I₂ concentration, while excessive I₂ contents will decrease the electrical performances. Based on the in situ thermal polymeric gel electrolytes for Q‐DSSCs, highest power conversion efficiency of 5.01% has been obtained. The superior long‐term stability of fabricated DSSCs indicates that the cells based on in situ thermal polymeric gel electrolytes can overcome the drawbacks of the volatile liquid electrolyte. These results offer us a feasible method to explore new gel electrolytes for high‐performance Q‐DSSCs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42802.