Study on Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)- Poly(styrenesulfonate) as a plastic counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells

Dye sensitized solar cells with PEDOT-PSS coated directly on flexible polyester substrate as counter electrode have been fabricated. The behavior of such plastic counter electrode in the presence of 1 /13 redox electrolyte has been investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We have found th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials 2007-04, Vol.9 (4), p.1052-1059
Main Authors: Kanciurzewska, A, Dobruchowska, E, Baranzahi, A, Carlegrim, E, Fahlman, M, Girtu, M A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
dye-sensitized solar cells
PEDOT-PSS
photoelectron spectroscopy
plastic counter electrode
TECHNOLOGY
TEKNIKVETENSKAP
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Summary:Dye sensitized solar cells with PEDOT-PSS coated directly on flexible polyester substrate as counter electrode have been fabricated. The behavior of such plastic counter electrode in the presence of 1 /13 redox electrolyte has been investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We have found that some of iodine species are 'trapped' within the PEDOT-PSS layer. The presence of 13 , 12 and PEDOT charge transfer complexes with iodine species may block the surface of the electrode. Furthermore, the PEDOT may be further oxidized (p-doped) during cell operation, which in turn may cause overoxidation and loss of conductivity in the PEDOT-PSS film. Additionally, the interactions between PEDOT and iodine species may be enlarged because of the partial loss of PSS protective counter ion. That has resulted in decrease of PEDOT-PSS catalytic activity for reduction of 13 to I in the redox electrolyte and has caused worse cell performance than in case of DSSC with Pt counter electrode.
ISSN:1454-4164
1841-7132