Physical properties of quasi-solid-state polymer electrolytes for dye-sensitised solar cells: A characterisation review

The electrolyte is a critical component of dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs). Among them, quasi-solid state (QSS) electrolytes are considered as one of the most prospective substitutes for liquid electrolytes to DSSCs. To entirely understand and optimise the performance and stability of QSS, comprehensive characterisation is needed to design new materials, comprehend and optimise the QSS. This review summarises the characterisations of QSS beginning from 2010. Emphasis is placed on the physical characterisations such as viscosity, morphology, thermal, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, Raman, ultraviolet-visible, and X-ray diffraction. All parts of the characterisation process are divided into the introduction, the objective of testing, main outcomes and finally, the selected examples. A summary of recent and important measurements on QSS are mentioned at the end.