Abstract
A model organic semiconductor (MDMO-PPV) was used for testing a modified version of a photoelectrochemical scanning droplet cell microscope (PE-SDCM) adapted for use with nonaqueous electrolytes and containing an optical fiber for localized illumination. The most attractive features of the PE-SDCM are represented by the possibility of addressing small areas on the investigated substrate and the need of small amounts of electrolyte. A very small amount (ng) of the material under study is sufficient for a complete electrochemical and photoelectrochemical characterization due to the scanning capability of the cell. The electrochemical behavior of the polymer was studied in detail using potentiostatic and potentiodynamic investigations as well as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Additionally, the photoelectrochemical properties were investigated under illumination conditions, and the photocurrents found were at least 3 orders of magnitude higher than the dark (background) current, revealing the usefulness of this compact microcell for photovoltaic characterizations.
Highlights
The development of inexpensive and efficient photovoltaic devices is still a topic of high scientific importance
For each measurement, the photoelectrochemical scanning droplet cell microscope (PE-SDCM) was moved to a different location, and measurements with scan rates of 1, 3, 10, 30, and 100 mV s−1 were performed on sequentially addressed spots
When comparing current−voltage characteristics measured with different polarization speeds, the different behavior of the reduction part of the voltammograms could be explained by a dissolution process of the previously oxidized MDMO-PPV, which becomes more significant at lower polarization speeds where a second oxidation peak was detected
Summary
The development of inexpensive and efficient photovoltaic devices is still a topic of high scientific importance. One attempt is based on a strong miniaturization of the area addressed by the electrochemical cell, which automatically leads to a drastic reduction of the amount of material to be consumed. This approach can be realized by, for example, photoelectrochemical scanning droplet cell microscopy (PE-SDCM), as it is capable. All experiments can be performed in a two or three electrode configuration Performing such a large number of experiments on a single substrate drastically reduces the amount of consumed material, reduces the time for sample preparation, and eliminates possible variations between different samples. Different light sources like lasers, LEDs, or halogen lamps can be used to meet various experimental requirements
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