Polymer electrolyte developed from natural rubber‐polyacrylic acid co trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate grafted fumed silica and its application to dye sensitized solar cell

This research focused on an electrical improvement of polymer nanocomposite which had potential for application in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This composite polymer electrolyte can be prepared by admicellar polymerization to form a core‐shell structure. The shell was prepared by acrylic acid (AA) monomer copolymerization with modified silica from trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate monomer (MPS) and hydrophilic silica (R200) (MPS‐SiO₂) and then coated on natural rubber (NR) as a core (PAA‐adp‐NR co MPS‐SiO₂). At 1.5 wt% MPS‐SiO₂, the ionic conductivity of PAA‐adp‐NR co MPS‐SiO₂ was improved from 0.769 mS cm⁻¹ of PAA‐adp‐NR to 0.931 mS cm⁻¹, and showed the lowest charge transfer resistance (R_ct) at 2.065 ohm. Moreover, the current density (J_sc) and conversion efficiency (η) were 11.792 mA/cm² and 3.485%, respectively. In the case of thermal stress stability, J_sc of PAA‐adp‐NR co MPS‐SiO₂ (1.5 wt% MPS‐SiO₂) was better than PAA‐adp‐NR. J_sc of PAA‐adp‐NR decreased 40.58% from its original value while J_sc of PAA‐adp‐NR co MPS‐SiO₂ (1.5 wt% MPS‐SiO₂) decreased 35.71% from its original value at 4 days with a slower rate than PAA‐adp‐NR. η of PAA‐adp‐NR co MPS‐SiO₂ (1.5 wt% MPS‐SiO₂) remained 6.67% of its original value at 28 days while η values of liquid electrolytes and PAA‐adp‐NR were close to zero. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:304–314, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers