TY - JOUR
T1 - A composite catalytic film of Ni-NPs/PEDOT
T2 - PSS for the counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells
AU - Chang, Ling Yu
AU - Li, Yu Yan
AU - Li, Chun Ting
AU - Lee, Chuan Pei
AU - Fan, Miao Syuan
AU - Vittal, R.
AU - Ho, Kuo Chuan
AU - Lin, Jiang Jen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/11/10
Y1 - 2014/11/10
N2 - As the catalytic material for the counter electrode (CE) of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), a composite film of nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NPs) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) was deposited on an FTO glass substrate, by using a home-made polymeric dispersant, poly(oxyethylene)-segmented imide (POEM). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize the films. A solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency (η) of 7.81% was achieved for the DSSC using Ni-NPs/PEDOT: PSS, while the DSSC with the Pt CE showed a ηof 7.63%. The best composite film showed a high stability, when it was subjected to potential cycling for 100 cycles in an electrolyte containing the redox couple, iodide/triiodide (I-/I3-), while the Pt film showed a considerable decrease in its stability. In replacing the conventional sputtered Pt film as the CE in a DSSC, the Ni-NPs/PEDOT: PSS film exhibited multiple advantages of higher power conversion efficiency, higher stability of the catalytic film, and less expensive material cost. The photovoltaic parameters of the cells were substantiated by incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectra, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Tafel polarization plots, and cyclic voltammetry (CV).
AB - As the catalytic material for the counter electrode (CE) of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), a composite film of nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NPs) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) was deposited on an FTO glass substrate, by using a home-made polymeric dispersant, poly(oxyethylene)-segmented imide (POEM). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize the films. A solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency (η) of 7.81% was achieved for the DSSC using Ni-NPs/PEDOT: PSS, while the DSSC with the Pt CE showed a ηof 7.63%. The best composite film showed a high stability, when it was subjected to potential cycling for 100 cycles in an electrolyte containing the redox couple, iodide/triiodide (I-/I3-), while the Pt film showed a considerable decrease in its stability. In replacing the conventional sputtered Pt film as the CE in a DSSC, the Ni-NPs/PEDOT: PSS film exhibited multiple advantages of higher power conversion efficiency, higher stability of the catalytic film, and less expensive material cost. The photovoltaic parameters of the cells were substantiated by incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectra, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Tafel polarization plots, and cyclic voltammetry (CV).
KW - Counter electrode
KW - Dye-sensitized solar cell
KW - Nickel nanoparticles
KW - PEDOT: PSS
KW - POEM
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U2 - 10.1016/j.electacta.2014.08.112
DO - 10.1016/j.electacta.2014.08.112
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84908547431
SN - 0013-4686
VL - 146
SP - 697
EP - 705
JO - Electrochimica Acta
JF - Electrochimica Acta
ER -
