Effect of different iodide salts on ionic conductivity and structural and thermal behavior of rice-starch-based polymer electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cell application

Biodegradable-based rice starch is used to prepare polymer electrolytes (PEs) using different iodide salts. Lithium iodide (LiI), ammonium iodide (NH4I), and sodium iodide (NaI) are used in this work. Polymer electrolytes are prepared using solution cast technique. The ionic conductivity of PEs is measured and temperature-dependent behavior of PEs studied. The polymer electrolyte system containing sodium iodide shows the highest ionic conductivity upon addition of 45 wt% sodium iodide. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results confirm complexation between polymer and salt. Thermal behavior of PEs is studied under thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The polymer electrolyte with 45 wt% of NaI is used to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and analyzed under Sun simulator. It shows short-circuit current density (mA cm(-2)), open circuit voltage (mV), and fill factor (%) of 2.40, 0.485, and 67.0, respectively.