A SOLID-STATE, DYE-SENSITIZED PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

A quasi-solid-state photoelectrochemical cell employing a dye-sensitized, nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode and a polymer gel electrolyte has been fabricated. The cells show open-circuit voltages close to 0.6 V and short-circuit currents larger than 3 mA cm(-2) under 30 mW cm(-2) white Light illumination. Fill factors and open circuit voltages of the cell are comparable to those of similar cells with liquid electrolytes. Overall energy conversion efficiencies of 3-5% have been achieved. Photocurrent transients have relatively long rise time constants, indicating that electron transport in the TiO2 electrodes is controlled by a trapping process. At high Light intensity the photocurrent rise is followed by a decay process due to the limitation of ion transport in the electrolyte.