Hybrid TiO2:polymer photovoltaic cells made from a titanium oxide precursor

Abstract

Hybrid TiO 2 :polymer photovoltaic cells were made from mixtures of titanium(IV) isopropoxide and poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyl)- p -phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) or poly(3-octyl thiophene) (P3OT) via hydrolysis in air. Cells were made with varying titanium(IV) isopropoxide:polymer ratios. Current–voltage measurements (at 0.7–0.8 sun equivalent) of a TiO 2 :P3OT (10 vol.% TiO 2 ) photovoltaic cell show a short-circuit current of 0.7 mA/cm 2 , an open-circuit voltage of 450 mV and a fill factor of 0.41, resulting in a calculated AM1.5 (100 mW/cm 2 ) power conversion efficiency of 0.17%. Devices based on MDMO-PPV and TiO 2 (20 vol.% TiO 2 ) show an open-circuit voltage of 600 mV and a short-circuit current of 0.6 mA/cm 2 (at 0.7 sun equivalent), resulting in a calculated AM1.5 power conversion efficiency of 0.22%.