Effect of silver nanoparticle in the PEDOT: PSS counter electrode of dye sensitized solar cell

Abstract

In this study, a conducting polymer PEDOT: PSS counter electrode is introduced in a typical DSSC (Dye Sensitized Solar Cell) with N719 dye adsorbed TiO2 nanoparticle coated FTO (Flourine doped Tin Oxide) glass as photo anode and an iodide-triiodide system as electrolyte. Counter electrode modification is done by introducing silver nano particles (NPs) along with PEDOT:PSS to heighten the performance of DSSCs. Five unlike counter electrodes are made by PEDOT: PSS, PEDOT:PSS+ 25wt% Ag np, PEDOT:PSS+ 50wt% Ag np, PEDOT:PSS+ 75wt% Ag np, PEDOT:PSS+ 100wt% Ag nanoparticles respectively,DSSCs are fabricated, photovoltaic parameters are measured and related with the standard platinum counter electrode. Themorphology of the counter electrodes is studied by FESEM analysis. The thickness of different photo cathodes is studied by ellipsometry. It is found that as the weight% of Silver nanoparticle is increasing the efficiency of the device is also increasing. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the device with PEDOT:PSS+75wt%Agnp is giving 3.75% efficiency. But for PEDOT: PSS+ 100wt% Agnp, the efficiency decreases to 3.05%. This is because as the weight percentage of silver nanoparticle increases, due to its metallic nature, it acts as a hole trapping material than the hole conducting material.In this study, a conducting polymer PEDOT: PSS counter electrode is introduced in a typical DSSC (Dye Sensitized Solar Cell) with N719 dye adsorbed TiO2 nanoparticle coated FTO (Flourine doped Tin Oxide) glass as photo anode and an iodide-triiodide system as electrolyte. Counter electrode modification is done by introducing silver nano particles (NPs) along with PEDOT:PSS to heighten the performance of DSSCs. Five unlike counter electrodes are made by PEDOT: PSS, PEDOT:PSS+ 25wt% Ag np, PEDOT:PSS+ 50wt% Ag np, PEDOT:PSS+ 75wt% Ag np, PEDOT:PSS+ 100wt% Ag nanoparticles respectively,DSSCs are fabricated, photovoltaic parameters are measured and related with the standard platinum counter electrode. Themorphology of the counter electrodes is studied by FESEM analysis. The thickness of different photo cathodes is studied by ellipsometry. It is found that as the weight% of Silver nanoparticle is increasing the efficiency of the device is also increasing. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the device with...