Aqueous dye-sensitized solar cells (a-DSSCs) have emerged as a promising option for safe, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly photovoltaic technology. Unlike conventional organic-based DSSCs, a-DSSCs utilize water as a greener and safer electrolyte solvent. This study introduces for the first time the use of N-methylbenzimidazolium acetate (HNMBI⁺OAc^–) along with a water-soluble copper redox-couple [bis(6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) copper (I/II) acetate] in a-DSSCs. The study delves into the electrochemical properties of different electrolyte compositions, highlighting the significance of the employed HNMBI⁺OAc^– additive in providing free N-methylbenzimidazole Lewis base in the medium that in turn enhances the performance of the a-DSSCs by mitigating electron recombination processes and possibly improving dye regeneration. Furthermore, the optimized and tested a-DSSCs exhibited remarkable stability when exposed to constant ambient light irradiations for one year, or to high temperatures (52 °C) for 1000 h in the dark, marking successful progress toward sustainable and durable photovoltaic devices.

中文翻译：

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铜基水系染料敏化太阳能电池：寻求可持续且长期稳定的器件

水性染料敏化太阳能电池（a-DSSC）已成为安全、经济高效且环保的光伏技术的有前途的选择。与传统的有机 DSSC 不同，a-DSSC 利用水作为更环保、更安全的电解质溶剂。本研究首次引入了N-甲基苯并咪唑乙酸盐 (HNMBI ⁺ OAc ^– ) 与水溶性铜氧化还原对 [双(6,6′-二甲基-2,2′-联吡啶)铜 (I /II) 醋酸盐] 在 a-DSSC 中。该研究深入研究了不同电解质组合物的电化学特性，强调了所使用的 HNMBI ⁺ OAc^添加剂在介质中提供游离N-甲基苯并咪唑路易斯碱的重要性，从而通过减轻电子重组过程来增强 a-DSSC 的性能并可能改善染料再生。此外，优化和测试的a-DSSC在持续环境光照射一年或在黑暗中高温（52°C）1000小时时表现出显着的稳定性，标志着可持续和耐用光伏设备的成功进展。