• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.963-968
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• 2009

Liquid crystal (LC; E7 and/or ML-0249)-embedded, poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-co-HFP)-based, polymer electrolytes were prepared for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The electrolytes contained 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide (PMII), tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI), and iodine ($I_2$), which participate in the $I_3^-/I^-$ redox couple. The incorporation of photochemically stable PVdF-co-HFP in the DSSCs created a stable polymer electrolyte that resisted leakage and volatilization. DSSCs, with liquid crystal(LC)-embedded PVdF-co-HFP-based polymer electrolytes between the amphiphilic ruthenium dye N719 absorbed to the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ photoanode and the Pt counter electrode, were fabricated. These DSSCs displayed enhanced redox couple reduction and reduced charge recombination in comparison to that fabricated from the conventional PVdF-co-HFP-based polymer electrolyte. The behavior of the polymer electrolyte was improved by the addition of optimized amounts of plasticizers, such as ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC). The significantly increased short-circuit current density ($J_{sc}$, $14.60\;mA/cm^2$) and open-circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$, 0.68 V) of these DSSCs led to a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.42% and a fill factor of 0.65 under a standard light intensity of $100\;mW/cm^2$ irradiation of AM 1.5 sunlight. A DSSC fabricated by using E7-embedded PVdF-co-HFP-based polymer electrolyte exhibited a maximum incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of 50%.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3108-3113
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• 2013

Compatibility between mLLDPE and HDPE was investigated by observing the crystallization behavior and mechanical properties of their blends. HDPE and mLLDPE blends were prepared by a melt-blending with compositions of 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60/ 20/80 and 0/100. Four different mLLDPEs containing various octene contents (4.1, 6.8, 9.8 및 12.5 mol.%) were investigated. The melting temperature and crystallization peak temperature of the blends were measured by DSC and the mechanical properties were measured in an universal testing machine. By observation that the melting and crystallization peak temperatures of one component were affected by its counterparts, it was revealed that HDPE and mLLDPE are miscible or at leat partially miscible at molten state. It was also found that the crystalline phase of mLLDPE contains HDPE crystals. However. it was not clear that mLLDPE was cocrystalized in the crystalline phase of HDPE. By various investigation with DSC and mechanical properties, it was concluded that the compatibility between mLLDPE and HDPE decreases with the octene content in the mLLDPE.