Reverse micelle facilitated synthesis of nanostructured polyaniline as the counter electrode materials in dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

ABSTRACT We report a reverse-micelle emulsion polymerization of nanostructured PANI using a nonionic surfactant Polyglyceryl-2-Dipolyhydroxystearate (PGPH) at various concentrations from 2% to 6% (v/v). SEM images show that the obtained morphologies are irregular agglomerates at low PGPH concentration and relatively regular granules at high PGPH concentration. FTIR and Raman spectra show that the synthesized PANI is in the form of Emeraldine salt (PANI ES) with electrical conductivity around 10−3 S cm−1. Photovoltaic current-voltage (J-V) measurements show the highest power conversion efficiency is achieved at 1.71% at 6% (v/v) of PGPH.