Polyviologen as the charge-storage electrode of an aqueous electrolyte- and organic-based dye-sensitized solar cell

A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was fabricated with a viologen polymer as a charge-storable electrode and an aqueous electrolyte. The polyviologen was prepared via electrolytic polymerization of the 4-cyanopyridine moiety: It displayed reversible two-electron redox reactions at -0.48 and -0.86 V vs. Ag/AgCl in the aqueous electrolyte, which were appropriate for the acceptance of an electron from the photo-anode or TiO₂ conduction band by the charge-storable electrode. The DSSC using the polyviologen electrode achieved both photo-current generation with a high open-circuit voltage of ca. 0.8 V upon light irradiation, and a charge-supply after irradiation at a constant voltage of ca. 0.4 V with a discharging capacity of ca. 75% of the polyviologen electrode. The potential tuning of the organic-based polyviologen electrode was described.