Electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells
The electrolyte in a DSC is the communicating component between the electrodes; the working and counter electrodes.
Today, the electrolytes is typically based on an organic solvent containing a redox mediator and various surface-active additives.
The team devoted to electrolytes research has many objectives. One is to identify new redox mediators, to utilize new solvents based on non-volatile ionic liquids and to investigate the effects of additives on the fundamental processes at the cell electrodes. In conjunction with this work careful characterisation of both cell components and fully operational cells are pursued.
In addition, both organic and inorganic solid conducting materials are studied with the aim of a fully solid state solar cell device.