Synergistic effects of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) blends in gel electrolytes for efficient and long-term stability in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

In this work, the stability issues associated with liquid electrolyte-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have been addressed by introducing polymer gel electrolytes. The synergistic combination of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) has been achieved through solution blending. Ionic conductivity measurements, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy have been employed for analysis. Optimal cohesiveness was observed at PVP concentrations exceeding 40 %, with the best outcomes achieved at a 50 % PVDF-PVP weight ratio. The electrolyte solution, comprising the polymer blend, suitable solvents, and iodine-based salts, exhibits peak conductivity (2.33 mScm⁻¹) at a 10 % salt content. DSSCs utilizing the PVDF & PVP polymer blend gel electrolytes demonstrate enhanced durability and maintained efficiency at 5.43 %, exhibiting only a modest 12 % reduction compared to liquid electrolyte counterparts. Over two weeks, the fabricated DSSCs exhibited consistent photovoltaic performance, while conventional cells experienced significant declines in short-circuit current (36 %) and open-circuit voltage (33.33 %). This study signifies a promising advancement in solar cell technology, showcasing improved stability and performance in DSSCs using conductive polymer blend gel electrolytes.