A dual function of high efficiency quasi-solid-state flexible dye-sensitized solar cell based on conductive polymer integrated into poly (acrylic acid-co-carbon nanotubes) gel electrolyte

Abstract

A series dual function of quasi-solid-state gel electrolytes with high conductivity and good catalytic ability were prepared by integrating the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and conducting polymers including polypyrrole (PPy), polyaniline (PANI) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) into poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) gel, showing significant improvement in electrochemical and photoelectrochemistry capability used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). These novel electrolytes provide three dimensional network structures for transporting electrons, giving a similar conduction mechanism to that of I−/I3− liquid electrolyte system. The electrochemical performance of the CoS/Ag/Ti counter electrode (CE) was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which revealed that the CoS/Ag/Ti CE exhibited excellent electrocatalytic ability for these novel electrolytes as well as that of in I−/I3− liquid system. The quasi-solid-state flexible DSSC fabricated with the CoS/Ag/Ti CE and novel gel electrolytes integrated PPy, PANI and PEDOT achieved enhanced power conversion efficiency of 6.89%, 7.01% and 7.20% under the irradiation of 100mWcm−2, which have much approached that of the DSSC (7.35%) based on Pt electrode and I−/I3− liquid electrolyte.