The optimization of interfacial charge transfer between the dye and the electrolyte is crucial to the design of dye-sensitized solar cells. In this paper, we address the combined use of an ionic liquid crystal electrolyte and amphiphilic ruthenium dyes in dye-sensitized solar cells. The solar cell with an amphiphilic ruthenium dye [Ru(H(2)dcbpy)(tdbpy)(NCS)2] (H(2)dcbpy = 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2-bipyridine, tdbpy = 4,4'-tridecyl-2,2'-bipyridine), exhibited a short-circuit photocurrent density of 9.1 mA/cm(2), an open-circuit voltage of 665 mV and a fill factor of 0.58, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 3.51%. We find that increasing dye alkyl chain length to octadecyl from tridecyl results in lower short-circuit photocurrent density and open-circuit voltage, and the suitable dyes for ionic liquid crystal electrolyte differed completely from those used in liquid and ionic liquid electrolyte cells. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.