A novel quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell based on monolayer capped nanoparticles framework materials

A new kind of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-octadecyl- 5-pyrazolone (PMOP)-capped ZnO nanoparticle has been synthesized and characterized with UV–VIS, IR and fluorescent spectra. The material was used as a framework to form a quasi-solid-state electrolyte and employed in dyesensitized solar cell (DSSC). Since the long alkyl-chain of PMOP interacts with liquid solvent, the quasi-solid-state DSSC with PMOP-capped nanoparticles shows higher stability in comparison with that of the liquid device and gives a comparable overall efficiency of 6.8% under AM 1.5 illumination.