Nanosize Copper Dispersed Ionic Liquids as an Electrolyte of New Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

摘要

To enhance the electrical conductivity of the electrolyte in a newly-developed dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), the Cu@C (metallic copper core in the carbon shell) nanoparticles dispersed in a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) (e.g., [bmin][BF{sub}6]) has been studied in the present work. By the pulsed-field gradient spin-echo NMR method, the self-diffusion coefficients of cations and anions in the RTIL have been determined. The self-diffusion coefficient of cations is increased by 40% at 300 K. It is also found that the electrical conductivity of the Cu@C dispersed (0.08%) RTIL is increased by 30% (1.96→2.38 ms/cm). It seems that that the nanosize Cu@C dispersed RTIL is a very effective electrolyte especially used in the DSSCs.