Application of Poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate counter electrode in polymer heterojunction dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

A Poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/carbon conductive paste was prepared and coated on a conducting FTO glass to construct counter electrode for polymer heterojunction dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The surface morphology, conductivity, sheet resistance, redox properties and photoelectric properties of carbon electrode were observed respectively by scanning electron microscopy, four-probe tester and CHI660D electrochemical measurement system. The experimental results showed that DSSCs had the best photoelectric properties for PEDOT:PSS/carbon counter electrode annealing at 80°C in vacuum conditions. Using [6, 6]-phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)/poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) heterojunction to replace {\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{3}}^{-}/{\mathrm{I}}^{-} redox electrolyte, the overall energy conversion efficiency of the DSSCs with barrier layer reached 4.11% under irradiation of a simulated solar light with a intensity of 100 mW·cm^-1 (AM 1.5), which is higher 20% than that of the DSSCs with Pt counter electrode (3.42%). The excellent photoelectric properties, simple preparation procedure and low cost allow the PEDOT:PSS/carbon electrode to be a credible alternative used in DSSCs.

Keywords

Poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), counter electrode / polymer heterojunction, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), photoelectric properties

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (No. 2009AA03Z217), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 90922028, 50842027, 51002053).

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2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg