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4579486 
Journal Article 
Influence of organic additive to PVDF-HFP mixed iodide electrolytes on the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells 
Senthil, RA; Theerthagiri, J; Madhavan, J; Ganesan, S; Arof, AK 
2017 
Yes 
Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids
ISSN: 0022-3697
EISSN: 1879-2553 
101 
18-24 
WOS:000391776800004 
The influence of 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol (ATDT) on the ionic conductivity of poly(vinylidinefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) polymer electrolytes with mixed iodide salts (potassium iodide (KI) and tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI)) and iodine (I-2) were studied for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The pure and different weight percentage (wt%) ratios (2%, 3%, 4%, 5% and 6%) of ATDT modified PVDF-HFP/KI +TBAI/I-2 electrolyte films were prepared by solution casting technique using DMF as a solvent. The polymer electrolyte films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pure PVDFHFP/TBAI+KI/I-2 electrolyte exhibited the ionic conductivity value of 9.99x10(-6) S cm(-1) at room temperature, which was found to be improved to a maximum value of 2.82x10(-4) S cm(-1) at 4 wt% of ATDT modified polymer electrolyte. The photovoltaic characterization studies showed higher power conversion efficiency of 4.64% for DSSC assembled with the optimized wt% of ATDT modified polymer electrolyte than the pure PVDF-HFP/KI+TBAI/I-2 electrolyte (1.88%) at an illumination intensity of 60 mW/cm(2). Hence, the studies concluded that the ATDT modified polymer electrolyte can be a suitable material for DSSC applications. 
Polymers; Organic compounds; Thin films; X-ray diffraction; Electrochemical properties