Enhancement in power conversion efficiency is a persistent pursuit for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We report an experimental strategy of synthesizing doped 3-hydroxypropionitrile/polyaniline (HPN/PANi) solid electrolytes, aiming at expanding l reduction reaction from electrolyte/counter electrode interface to solid electrolyte system and shortening the charge diffusion path length. The DSSC with HPN/1.0 wt% PANi shows an efficiency of 3.70% in comparison to 1.49% from the cell with pristine HPN. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.