title: Effect of surface nanomorphology and interfacial galvanic coupling of PEDOT-titanium counter electrodes on the stability of dye-sensitized solar cell.
abstract: The present study demonstrates a novel approach by which titanium foils coated with electropolymerized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) in combination with sputtered platinum can be processed into a high-surface area cathodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A detailed study has been performed to elucidate how surface nanomorphology and I(-)/I(3-) redox reaction behaviors underlying these photocathodes impact the DSSC performances. From the analysis of the relevant electrochemical parameters, an intrinsic correlation between the photovoltaic performances and the cathode surface area has been deduced for such a system and explained on the basis of relative contributions of the galvanic coupling properties of the nanomorphology PEDOT film and platinum. Depending on the type of photocathodes incorporated, it was observed that these PEDOT coated cathodes can exhibit higher stability over a given time range and photo-conversion efficiencies 12-40%, higher than that achievable in absence of the intermediate PEDOT coatings. It has been shown that DSSCs based on such metal-polymer hybrid photo-cathodes allow significant room for improvement in the catalytic performance at the electrode/electrolyte interface.
authors.affiliation: Amrita Centre for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Ponekkara P.O., Kochi 682041, India.
authors.forename: Asha Anish
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Madhavan
authors.forename: Sujith
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalluri
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paravannoor
authors.forename: Sivakumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagarajan
authors.forename: Kavasseri R V
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Shantikumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
mesh_terms: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013472:Sunlight; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D004396:Coloring Agents; D011108:Polymers; C121383:poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene); D014025:Titanium