Good Photovoltaic Performance Research Articles

Ultrahigh stability photovoltaic performance of M-Mo6+ (M=Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+) co-doped BiVO4 films

BiVO4 has been widely studied in photovoltaic conversion. However, as a paraelectric material, BiVO4 lacks an internal electric field for efficient carrier separation, resulting in low photocurrent and limited practical use. Enhancing the photovoltaic performance of thin films through simple methods is challenging. In this paper, M-Mo6+ (M=Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+) ions were used to co-doped BiVO4 films, which were then composited with NiO to construct composite film structures. The NiO/Bi0.985Co0.015V0.985Mo0.015O4 film achieved a photocurrent density (Jsc) of 2.33 mA/cm2 and an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.39 V. The film also demonstrated a specific detection rate of 2.67 × 1011 jones at an optical power density of 165 mW/cm2 and maintained 1.94 × 1011 jones at 103.7 mW/cm2. At an optical power density of approximately 140 mW/cm2, the specific detection rate begins to decrease. The photovoltaic conversion performance of the film exhibits high stability over a long period of time (＞10,000 s). The thin films maintain good photovoltaic performance at high temperatures. This work provides an approach for the application of BiVO4 in photovoltaics.

Achieving 19.4% Efficiency Polymer Solar Cells by Reducing Backbone Disorder in Donor Terpolymers

AbstractThe ternary copolymerization strategy has emerged as a promising strategy for developing high‐efficiency donor polymers in polymer solar cells (PSCs). Terpolymers based on the star polymer PM6 have already realized good photovoltaic performance. However, challenges such as the intricate synthesis of fluorine‐substituted benzodithiophene (F‐BDT) unit of PM6 and entropy increase induced by backbone disorder have hindered the construction of high‐performance donor terpolymers. In this work, these challenges are addressed by opting for the cost‐effective chlorinated‐substituted benzodithiophene unit (Cl‐BDT) as an alternative to F‐BDT and incorporating the large dipole moment and electron‐deficient TPD group as the third component into the high‐performance donor polymer of PM7. As expected, this approach effectively suppresses terpolymer backbone disorder while enhancing crystallinity, thereby optimizing morphology and improving charge generation and transport. Remarkably, the PM7‐TPD‐10‐based device with 10% TPD replacement achieves a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.26%. After introducing PM7‐TPD‐10 as the third component into D18:L8‐BO blend, a dual mechanism for improving the efficiency to 19.40% is realized. This work demonstrates that the high dipole moiety as the third component to construct terpolymers is an important strategy to suppress the backbone disorder and increase the crystallinity, facilitating the optimization of morphology and device performance.

Theoretical, structural, and electronic analyses of pyridin-based dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells applications.

The new series of donor-π-acceptor dyes have been designed using pyridine derivatives as a donor group and thienothiophene as a π-spacer group, which were linked via 10acceptor groups. The highest occupied molecular orbital energies range from - 6.177 to - 5.786eV, whereas the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies range from - 2.181 to - 3.664eV. A6 dye has smaller energy gap, lower hardness, higher electrophilicity index, and good photovoltaic performance than other sensitizers. The lowest dihedral angle is observed in A1, A2, A6, A7, and A8 which are appropriate for intramolecular charge transfer between the molecules. The A8 has higher light harvesting efficiency, which increases the photovoltaic efficiency of the designed dye. The A6, A7, and A8 dyes spend less time in the excited state, which means they emit photons more efficiently than other dyes. The interaction between donor to π-spacer (red line) parts of the dyes has the bonding interaction (positive), and π-spacer to acceptor (blue line) parts of the dyes have the bonding and antibonding (negative) behaviours. The dyes A5 and A9 have 305.79 and 357.71 times higher β0 values than urea (0.781 × 10-30 esu) molecules. The spectral properties of the A6 dye strongly affect the structural modification. The density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) approach B3LYP/6-311G (d,p) basic set were used to optimize the designed dyes. All the calculations are performed using Gauss view 6.0 and Gaussian 09 software. The density of state spectrum is plotted using Gauss sum 2.6.

DFT/TDDFT studies on carbazole-antipyrine Schiff base organic dyes containing different πi-spacer for DSSCs applications

A series of organic dyes (W1-W12) with antipyrine and carbazole moieties as donor, thiophene derivatives (πi) and phenyl (π) as π-spacer and carboxyl group as acceptor were investigated theoretically based on the synthetic compounds WLE1 and WLE2. The calculated results revealed that the introduction of πi-spacers between antipyrine and carbazole moieties can significantly reduce HOMO and LUMO energy gap, and leading to the λmax red-shift and ƒ significantly increased. The designed dyes exhibit good photovoltaic performance, such as higher VOC, good LHE performance, negative values of ΔGinj, and smaller values of ΔGreg, which can lead to a higher JSC and hence a greater PCE. Especially, the dyes W9 and W12 could be the excellent candidate for high efficiency DSSCs applications. We further used (TiO2)6 as model semiconductor to evaluate the overall optoelectronic properties and transport parameters of the dye/TiO2 assembly after anchoring the dyes on the model TiO2 cluster.

Highly Efficient DSSCs Sensitized Using NIR Responsive Bacteriopheophytine-a and Its Derivatives Extracted from Rhodobacter Sphaeroides Photobacteria.

Employing naturally extracted dyes and their derivatives as photosensitizers towards the construction of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has been recently emerging for establishing sustainable energy conversion devices. In this present work, Rhodobacter Sphaeroides Photobacteria (Rh. Sphaeroides) was used as a natural source from which Bacteriopheophytine-a (Bhcl) dye was extracted. Further, two cationic derivatives of Bhcl, viz., Guanidino-bacteriopheophorbide-a (Gua-Bhcl) and (2-aminoethyl)triphenylphosphono-bacteriopheophorbide-a (2AETPPh-Bhcl) were synthesized. The thus obtained Bhcl, Gua-Bhcl and 2AETPPh-Bhcl were characterized using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and their photophysical properties were investigated using excitation and emission studies. All three near-infrared (NIR) responsive dyes were employed as natural sensitizers towards the construction of DSSC devices, using platinum as a photocathode, dye-sensitized P25-TiO2 as a photoanode and I-/I3- as an electrolyte. DSSCs fabricated using all three dyes have shown reasonably good photovoltaic performance, among which 2AETPPh-Bhcl dye has shown a relatively higher power conversion efficiency (η) of 0.38% with a short circuit photocurrent density (JSC) of 1.03 mA cm-2. This could be attributed to the dye's natural optimal light absorption in the visible and NIR region and uniform dispersion through the electrostatic interaction of the cationic derivatives on the TiO2 photoanode. Furthermore, the atomic force microscopy studies and electrochemical investigations using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Bode's plot also supported the enhancement in performance attained with 2AETPPh-Bhcl dye.

Carboxylic-substituted polymer design strategy enabled halogen-free solvent processed efficient organic solar cells

Carboxylic ester groups can be rationally utilized to regulate the energy levels and crystallinity in molecular design of conjugated polymer donors for organic solar cells (OSCs). In this work, a new polymer named PB4T was designed and prepared by copolymerization of a carboxylate substituted tetra-thiophene unit with the commonly used BDT unit. Due to the strong electron-withdrawing capability and the symmetric conformation of carboxylic ester substitution, PB4T exhibits appropriate HOMO energy level and stable planar geometry. When matching PB4T with five different NFAs with varied energy levels and bandgaps, including eC9, eC9-2Cl, IT-4F, BTA3, and A4T-3, all the OSCs processed with the halogen-free solvent show good photovoltaic performance. The PB4T:eC9- and PB4T:eC9-2Cl-based OSCs can realize high PCEs of 15.50 % and 15.32 %, respectively. This work demonstrates that PB4T has good universality to work well with newly-emerging NFAs, and carboxylate substituted thiophene units show great potential in constructing high-efficiency polymer donors.

Nanocrystalline gallium nitride electron transport layer for cesium lead bromide photovoltaic power converter in blue light optical wireless power transmission

Nanocrystalline gallium nitride (nc-GaN) layers were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering for the electron transport layer of the cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) photovoltaic power converter. We investigated the structural and electrical properties of the nc-GaN layers and found that substrate heater temperature is a key factor to determine the electrical conductivity of the nc-GaN layers. CsPbBr3 photovoltaic power converters with nc-GaN electron transport layers show good photovoltaic performance. The best performance was obtained at the substrate heater temperature of 550 °C and a conversion efficiency of 5.56% (V OC = 1.24 V, J SC = 6.68 mA cm−2, FF = 0.66) under AM1.5 G illumination with a light intensity of 100 mW cm−2. The estimated conversion efficiency under blue light with a wavelength of 450 nm is 28.8%.

Impact of regio-isomeric monochlorinated end groups on packing mode, miscibility, and photovoltaic performance of asymmetric selenophene-fused M-series acceptors

Optimal bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) morphology is crucial for efficient charge transport and good photovoltaic performance in organic solar cells (OSCs). Yet, the correlation between chemical structures of nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) and molecular interaction in the BHJ blends remains opaque. Herein, we study three isomeric NFAs referred to as MQ1-x (x = β, γ, or δ) that shared an asymmetric selenophene-fused heteroheptacene backbone end-capped by two monochlorinated end groups. Remarkably, miscibility between the polymer donor of PM6 and MQ1-x successively elevates as the chlorine atoms move from β-, to γ-, to δ-position of terminals. Combined with the varied molecular crystallinity of these NFAs, diverse BHJ morphologies are observed in their blend films. As a result, the MQ1-δ-based devices present the highest PCE of 12.08% owing to the efficient charge dissociation and transport induced by the compact molecular packing and optimal BHJ morphology. Our investigation provides a new insight in the material design that has a good balance in molecular packing and film morphology for high-performance OSCs.

Theoretical study on organic photovoltaic heterojunction FTAZ/IDCIC

Understanding organic photovoltaic (OPV) work principles and the materials’ optoelectronic properties is fundamental for developing novel heterojunction materials with the aim of improving power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells. Here, in order to understand the PCE performance (>13%) of OPV device composed of the non-fullerene acceptor fusing naphtho[1,2-b:5,6-b′]dithiophene with two thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (IDCIC) and the polymer donor fluorobenzotriazole (FTAZ), with the aid of extensive quantum chemistry calculations, we investigated the geometries, molecular orbitals, excitations, electrostatic potentials, transferred charges and charge transfer distances of FTAZ, IDCIC and their complexes with face-on configurations, which was constructed as heterojunction interface model. The results indicate that, the prominent OPV performance of FTAZ:IDCIC heterojunction is caused by co-planarity between the donor and acceptor fragments in IDCIC, the the charge transfer (CT) and hybrid excitations of FTAZ and IDCIC, the complementary optical absorptions in visible region, and the large electrostatic potential difference between FTAZ and IDCIC. The electronic structures and excitations of FTAZ/IDCIC complexes suggest that exciton dissociation can fulfill through the decay of local excitation exciton in acceptor by means of hole transfer, which is quite different from the OPVs based on fullerenes acceptor. The rates of exciton dissociation, charge recombination and CT processes, which were evaluated by Marcus theory, support the efficient exciton dissociation that is also responsible for good photovoltaic performance.

High-Efficiency and Mechanically Robust All-Polymer Organic Photovoltaic Cells Enabled by Optimized Fibril Network Morphology.

All-polymer organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells possessing high photovoltaic performance and mechanical robustness are promising candidates for flexible wearable devices. However, developing photoactive materials with good mechanical properties and photovoltaic performance so far remains challenging. In this work, a polymer donor PBDB-TF with a high weight-average molecular weight (Mw ) is introduced to enable highly efficient all-polymer OPV cells featuring excellent mechanical reliability. By incorporating the high-Mw PBDB-TF as a third component into the PBQx-TF:PY-IT blend, the bulk heterojunction morphology is finely tuned with a more compact π-π stacking distance, affording efficient pathways for charge transport as well as mechanical stress dissipation. Hence, all-polymer OPV cells based on the ternary blend film demonstrate a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.2% with an outstanding fill factor of 0.796. The flexible OPV cell delivers a decent PCE of 16.5% with high mechanical stability. These results present a promising strategy to address the mechanical properties and boost the photovoltaic performance of all-polymer OPV cells.

Edge-Active Enriched MoS2 Porous Nanosheets as Efficient Pt-Free Catalysts toward the Triiodide Reduction Reaction

Developing high-efficiency counter electrode (CE) catalysts for the triiodide (I3–) reduction reaction (IRR) is of great significance for the development of cost-effective dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). From the perspective of further enhancing the catalytic activity of CE catalysts by exposing more active sites, edge-active enriched MoS2 porous nanosheets are elaborately constructed using the as-prepared one-dimensional MoO3 rods and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) as a template-directing agent and surfactant based on the dissolution–recrystallization strategy (MoS2-P), respectively, while the MoS2 quasi-particles (MoS2-C) and irregular MoS2 aggregations are also synthesized using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant and commercial MoO3 powder as a molybdenum source under similar reaction processes. Benefiting from the high specific surface area, exposure of edge active sites, and effective ion diffusion-favored structure, MoS2-P delivers good photovoltaic performance (PCE = 8.16%, Voc = 0.782 V, Jsc = 16.77 mA/cm2, FF = 0.62) when used as a CE catalyst for DSSCs, superior to that of MoS2-C (PCE = 6.87%, Voc = 0.741 V, Jsc = 15.91 mA/cm2, FF = 0.58), which is comparable with that of the Pt-based device (PCE = 8.33%, Voc = 0.775 V, Jsc = 16.85 mA/cm2, FF = 0.64). A series of electrochemical results further reveal that the obtained MoS2-P has good catalytic activity for the IRR and electrochemical stability in iodine-based electrolytes. Hence, our work may provide a promising catalyst for the energy conversion field.

Innovative back-contact for [formula omitted]-based thin film solar cells

Among the most promising material for thin-film photovoltaics, Sb2Se3 (ASe) plays a pivotal role, being constituted of Earth-abundant elements and owing to its optical and electrical properties. Recently, ASe solar cells exhibited relatively good photovoltaic performances, reaching a considerable efficiency close to 9 %. Despite these remarkable results, much is still to be investigated, particularly regarding the active materials, interfaces, and electrical contacts. In this study we propose an alternative back contact for ASe solar cells. It is based on Fe, S and O elements, and was deposited at room temperature by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering. XRD and Raman measurements revealed that it is actually made of two materials: Fe3O4, in orthorhombic and cubic phases and FeS in troilite phase. This material provided an ohmic contact on top of the ASe film; its contact resistivity, extrapolated from current vs voltage characteristics of complete ASe-based solar cells, was estimated to be 0.8Ω·cm2. Monitoring the photovoltaic parameters, we observed a negligible average change after three months.

New photosensitizers that are based on carbazoles and have thiophene bridges with a low bandgap do 32% better than N719 metal complex dye

Synthesis of metal-free organic sensitizers is a promising route for obtaining low-cost, high-efficiency sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We present the results of a comprehensive photovoltaic analysis of four carbazole organic sensitizers with a D-A architecture in this study. MES 1-4 have been developed and used as sensitizers in DSSC applications. Using MES1-4 as sensitizers results in a broader light-harvesting ability (400–800 nm) and higher photovoltaic efficiency at a range of 6.06–9.55 %. Herein, the introduction of thiazolidine-4-one ring engineering into MES4 as a rich electron acceptor enhanced electron injection and inhibited electron recombination in thiazolidine-4-one sensitizers. The MES4 system has the highest light harvesting ability and reflectivity owing to the existence of distinct functional groups that enhanced the capacity to bind the dye with the semiconductor layer (TiO2 device's efficiency). In conclusion, the DSSC using the novel electron acceptor thiazolidine-4-one ring sensitizer achieves an unexpected PCE of 9.55 % and a 32 % increase over using the N719 metal complex dye. All sensitizers based on carbazole compounds had good photovoltaic performance.

Anthracene / fluorescein based semi-conducting polymer for organic photovoltaics: Synthesis, DFT, optical and electrical properties

A new soluble semi-conducting polymer (AnFL) designed on alternating anthracene and fluorescein photoactive moieties has been synthesized via Williamson polycondensation. Different technics were combined to evidence its structural, optical and electrical properties. NMR and FTIR spectroscopies were used to confirm the macromolecular structure. Optical properties were studied by UV–visible absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopies, evidencing fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from anthracene core to fluorescein unit which enhance the photovoltaic performance of the polymer. A single-layer [ITO/AnFL/Al] device was elaborated and investigated using current–voltage measurements where a typical diode behavior was observed with a turn-on voltage of 4.4 V. Results show also that the current is well described with space-charge-limited current conduction mechanism, with a charge carrier mobility of 2.38.10−5 cm2V−1s−1. The preliminary photovoltaic characteristics of the nanocomposite AnFL:PCBM were estimated and the blend showed an efficient interfacial charge transfer suggesting good photovoltaic performance for AnFL. All results showed that this functional polymer exhibits motivating photophysical properties and shows promising photovoltaic trends.

Novel silicon phthalocyanine photosensitizers containing carboxylic acid based axial anchoring groups: Electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, and dye sensitized solar cell performance

In this study, two novel silicon phthalocyanines (SiPc) having axial anchoring groups (3: SiPc carrying bis-dibutyl phenoxy acrylic acid and 5: SiPc carrying bis-dibutyl phenoxy carboxylic acid) are synthesized as the photosensitizers of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The obtained novel photosensitizers are elucidated by using 1H NMR, MALDI-TOF, FT-IR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Moreover, the electrochemistry of SiPcs is investigated with voltametric and in-situ spectroelectrochemical analysis. Both SiPcs illustrate similar two reductions and one oxidation Pc based redox processes. In-situ spectroelectrochemical results support the Pc based characters of the voltametric responses. The chromaticity diagrams and optical responses of the anionic and cationic moieties are recorded with the in-situ spectroelectrochemistry to determine the viability of them for various photoelectrochemical usage. Finally, SiPcs are investigated as dyes in DSSCs in order to investigate the influence of bis-dibutyl phenoxy acrylic acid and bis-dibutyl phenoxy carboxylic acid anchoring groups to the photovoltaic performance of SiPcs. DSSCs sensitized with SiPc (3) and SiPc (5) illustrate good photovoltaic performance with 1.48 and 1.99 mA/cm2 short circuit current density, 0.751 and 0.657 V open circuit potential, 0.52 and 0.57 fill factor, and 0.57% and 0.75% power conversion efficiency respectively.

Li-Doped SnO<sub>2</sub> Electron Transport Layer for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cell Fabricated Using Magnetic Field-Assisted Electrodeposition

One of the key challenges for the development of perovskite solar cells lies in the approach toward large-scale fabrication of the active materials that allows for good photovoltaic performance, as well as facile handling. The electrodeposition technique can potentially address such requirements. However, the technique has yet to be investigated in detail and still suffers from low efficiency of the device. In this study, we sought to significantly upgrade the electrodeposition approach by coupling the technique with an external magnetic field in the preparation of high-quality PbI2 precursor layer and using Li-doped SnO2 electron transport layer. Our results showed that the magnetic field-assisted electrodeposition yielded good crystallinity of PbI2 and perovskite. Introducing the Li-doped mesoporous SnO2 into the device structure resulted in a higher current density of 18.50–18.80 mA cm-2, which can be attributed to, based on the linear sweep voltammetry, reduced resistance of the electron transport layer from 32.27 to 22.11 Ω cm-2. Moreover, the carbon-based device prepared using this simple procedure also yielded 5.20% in photoconversion efficiency for 1-cm2 active area and 0.45% for 25-cm2 active area, all without any significant hysteresis.

N-Ga2O3/p-SnS heterojunction thin-films based transparent photovoltaic device

Due to the urgent requirement of transparent photovoltaics (TPVs) for building integrated applications, solar-blind photodetectors, and high-power devices, the immediate necessity is to develop solar cells with high transparency and good photovoltaic performance. The wide bandgap Ga2O3 has attracted significant attention for its excellent optoelectrical properties; however, the role of Ga2O3 in inorganic TPV is least explored yet. The wide bandgap Ga2O3 may give the device high optical transmittance in the UV to the NIR region by absorbing harmful UV radiations. Herein, we propose and study a novel, eco-friendly sputter-grown p-n heterojunction thin-films device by utilizing n-Ga2O3 and p-SnS for TPVs applications. The Ga2O3/SnS heterojunction device is tested for the transparent light harvester, and its photovoltaic performance is improved using variation in Ga2O3 layer thickness. All fabricated devices demonstrated optical transmittance of ~70 ± 2 % in the near-infrared (NIR) region and ~50 ± 2 % in the visible light region. By optimizing the layer thickness of Ga2O3 thin-film, the Ga2O3/SnS heterojunction quality was significantly improved and achieved a high photocurrent density of 1.15 mA/cm2 and the open-circuit voltage of 527 mV. Our fabricated device showed a power conversion efficiency of 2.9 % under UV light illumination. Furthermore, the proposed transparent photoelectric device exhibited an excellent photovoltaic effect, confirming the potential applications of the Ga2O3/SnS heterojunction for advanced optoelectronics.

Properties of High Efficiency Nanostructured Copper Indium Gallium Selenide Thin Film Solar Cells

Nowadays it is widely acknowledged that solar photovoltaic energy is one of the preferred options for sustainable management of the future energy needs of the world. For this, new technological processes, known as second and third generations, based on the use of thin films and nanomaterials, have recently been developed in order to reduce the cost of solar cells. Over the past few years, the yield of second-generation Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin-film cells has exceeded 22 %. It was found that as nanostructured materials such as nanowire arrays often have a higher light absorption rate than thin films, they can therefore be used. This article aims to design and model nanostructured CIGS thin film solar cells based on indium tin oxide (ITO) nanowires. Modelling provides information on the operation of CIGS solar cells, as well as on the mechanisms of absorption and electric charge transport. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the electrical and optical characteristics (ISC, VOC, FF, η) of a ZnO/CdS/CIGS heterojunction thin film structure. Thus, an optimum efficiency of 17.57 % and a form factor of 76.56 % were achieved. Afterwards, the Mo film rear contact was replaced with ITO nanowires which were introduced into the CIGS-based solar cell. The results indicated that the solar cells under study exhibited very good photovoltaic performance, with an efficiency of 21.26 %. It is worth noting that this performance is higher than that of the corresponding CIGS thin film cells. In addition, the large active surface area of the ITO nanowire electrode and the short distance that the charge must travel helped to improve charge collection in the nanostructure. This would certainly increase the short circuit current ISC, and consequently the electrical efficiency. The simulation was based on the low-field mobility model, and on Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) and Auger carrier transport and recombination models which may be activated in ATLAS-SILVACO (2D).

Effect of Anatase and Rutile Phase Microspheres Composition on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Photoanode Performance

The effect of calcination temperature on the phase stability of solvothermally synthesized mesoporous anatase TiO2 microspheres has been investigated through X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Morphological change owing to anatase to rutile phase transformation has been examined by transmission electron microscopy. Dye-sensitized Solar Cell with anatase TiO2 microspheres photoanode exhibits good photovoltaic performance with an overall cell efficiency of 4.47 %. Calcination above 900 °C reduces the efficiency. Incident Photon to Current Conversion Efficiency (IPCE) studies reveals that the TiO2 microspheres calcined at 700 °C have high IPCE due to high dye loading owing to its high surface area and porous structure.

Charge transfer and catalytic properties of various PEDOTs as Pt-free counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Despite the high electrocatalytic activity of Pt and the fact it is a champion catalyst for the counter electrode (CE) of state-of-art dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), its high cost, rarity, and the concern about its possible deterioration by the iodine-based redox electrolyte, has compelled the search for suitable and low-cost catalysts for CEs. To circumvent this issue, efforts were directed to exploring the suitability of various types of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT)-based conducting polymers as the most suitable electrocatalysts for low-cost CEs. Amongst various types of PEDOT explored as CEs, micelle directed electropolymerized PEDOT:SDS (:sodium dodecyl sulfate) exhibited not only excellent catalytic activity (>Pt), as confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and electrical impedance spectroscopy investigations, but also fairly good photovoltaic performance exhibiting photoconversion efficiency of 5.8%, which is only slightly lower than the performance shown by Pt-based CE for the DSSCs fabricated under similar experimental conditions. Further improvement for the PEDOT:SDS-based CE surpassing the Pt-based CE is envisioned by morphological control and making their suitable composites with carbon-based nanomaterials.