# US 8,785,765 B2 · Electrolyte composition, photoelectric converter and dye-sensitized solar cell using same

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- Number: US 8,785,765 B2
- Document ID: US8785765B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/564,314
- Filed: 2004-07-12
- Published: 2006-08-10
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2003-07-14
- Assignees: Fujikura Ltd.
- Applicants: Hiroki Usui; Nobuo Tanabe; Hiroshi Matsui; Tetsuya Ezure; Shozo Yanagida
- Inventors: Hiroki Usui; Nobuo Tanabe; Hiroshi Matsui; Tetsuya Ezure; Shozo Yanagida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785765B2

## CPC

- H01B 1/04: mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- H01B 1/122: {Ionic conductors}
- H01G 9/2009: {Solid electrolytes}
- H01G 9/2013: {the electrolyte comprising ionic liquids, e.g. alkyl imidazolium iodide}
- H01M 14/005: {Photoelectrochemical storage cells (light sensitive devices H01G9/20, semiconductors sensitive to light H10F)}
- H01G 9/2031: {comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 (H01G9/2036 takes precedence)}
- H01G 9/2036: {comprising mixed oxides, e.g. ZnO covered TiO2 particles}
- H01M 2300/0091: in the form of mixtures
- H10K 30/821: {comprising carbon nanotubes}
- Y02E 10/542: Dye sensitized solar cells
- Y10S 977/742: Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An electrolyte composition containing an ionic liquid and conductive particles, an electrolyte composition containing an ionic liquid and oxide semiconductor particles and optionally containing conductive particles, and an electrolyte composition containing an ionic liquid and insulating particles are provided. Furthermore, a photoelectric conversion element comprising: a working electrode, the working electrode comprising an electrode substrate and an oxide semiconductor porous film formed on the electrode substrate and sensitized with a dye; a counter electrode disposed opposing the working electrode; and an electrolyte layer made of these electrolyte compositions is provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A photoelectric conversion element comprising an electrolyte composition comprising an ionic liquid including a cation; and conductive particles being made of a material containing carbon as a main component, and excluding an organic gelling agent;
wherein an amount of the conductive particles is not less than 0.05% by weight and not more than 10% by weight with respect to a total amount of the electrolyte composition to make the electrolyte solution into a gel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the conductive particles is not less than 0.05% by weight and not more than 10% by weight with respect to the ionic liquid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the material containing carbon as a main component being one member or a mixture of a plurality of members selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, carbon black, and other carbon nanoparticles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 3, wherein the carbon nanotubes are either one of or a mixture of single-wall carbon nanotubes and multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 wherein the ionic liquid is a room temperature molten salt that is liquid at room temperature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 5 wherein the molten salt comprises a cation selected from the group consisting of a compound containing a quaternized nitrogen atom, a quaternary imidazolium derivative, a quaternary pyridinium derivative, and a quaternary ammonium derivative.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 5 wherein the molten salt comprises an anion selected from the group consisting BF4−, PF6−, F(HF)n−, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [N(CF3SO2)2−], and iodide ions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 wherein the conductive particles have a specific resistance of 1.0×10−2 Ω·cm or or less.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 further comprising oxidation-reduction pairs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 3, wherein the carbon fibers have a diameter of between 50 nm and 1 μm and a length of between 1 μm to 100 μm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 3, wherein the carbon black has a particle diameter of between 1 nm and 500 nm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 4, wherein the single-wall carbon nanotubes are between 0.5 nm and 10 nm in diameter and between 10 nm to 1 μm in length.

### Claim 13 (depends on 4)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 4, wherein the multi-wall carbon nanotubes are between 1 nm and 100 nm in diameter and between 50 nm to 50 μm in length.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The electrolyte composition according to claim 1, further comprising oxide semiconductor particles, wherein a compounding amount of the oxide semiconductor particles is 0.05% to 70% by weight with respect to a total amount of the electrolyte composition.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The electrolyte composition according to claim 1, further comprising oxide semiconductor particles, wherein a total compounding amount of the conductive particles and the oxide semiconductor particles is 0.05% to 70% by weight with respect to a total amount of the electrolyte composition.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The electrolyte composition according to claim 1, further comprising oxide semiconductor particles, wherein a compounding amount of the oxide semiconductor particles is 0.05% to 70% by weight with respect to the ionic liquid.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The electrolyte composition according to claim 1, further comprising oxide semiconductor particles, wherein a total compounding amount of the conductive particles and the oxide semiconductor particles is 0.05% to 70% by weight with respect to the ionic liquid.

### Claim 18

A photoelectric conversion element, comprising:
a working electrode, the working electrode comprising an electrode substrate and an oxide semiconductor porous film formed on the electrode substrate and sensitized with a dye;
a counter electrode disposed opposing the working electrode; and an electrolyte layer made of an electrolyte composition comprising an ionic liquid including a cation and conductive particles made of a material containing carbon as a main component and excluding an organic gelling agent, the electrolyte layer being provided between the working electrode and the counter electrode;
wherein an amount of the conductive particles is not less than 0.05% by weight and not more than 10% by weight with respect to a total amount of the electrolyte composition to make the electrolyte solution into a gel.

### Claim 19

A dye-sensitized photovoltaic cell, comprising:
a working electrode, the working electrode comprising an electrode substrate and an oxide semiconductor porous film formed on the electrode substrate and sensitized with a dye;
a counter electrode disposed opposing the working electrode; and
an electrolyte layer made of an electrolyte composition comprising an ionic liquid including a cation and conductive particles including carbon as a main component and excluding an organic gelling agent, the electrolyte layer being provided between the working electrode and the counter electrode;
wherein an amount of the conductive particles is not less than 0.05% by weight and not more than 10% by weight with respect to a total amount of the electrolyte composition to make the electrolyte solution into a gel.