Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells With Quasi‐Solid‐State Electrolytes Based on Freeze‐Dried Hydrogel Porous Structures

Abstract The quasi‐solid electrolyte, due to its semi‐solid nature, thereby significantly improving the stability of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This research primarily employs a freeze‐dried hydrogel with a dual‐network porous structure synthesized from sodium alginate and acrylamide as the quasi‐solid‐state electrolyte adsorption carries for DSSCs. Incorporating graphene, carbon nanotubes, and MXene into hydrogels leverages the formation of numerous hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups on their surfaces and the hydrogel. This hydrogen bonds interaction promotes the synergy between the conductive fillers and the hydrogel, thereby enhancing the hydrogel's mechanical properties and electrical conductivity, ultimately improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSCs. When MXene conductive materials were used as a composite with the freeze‐dried hydrogel, a higher power conversion efficiency of 7.65% was attained, along with enhanced catalytic activity and exchange current density. The hydrogen‐bond‐enhanced adsorption‐based quasi‐solid electrolyte enables DSSCs to retain more than 95% of their initial efficiency even after 1000 h of operation. This approach offers a new perspective for the sustainable operation of DSSCs.