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

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.     

Synthesis of polyaniline/electrochemically exfoliated graphene composite as counter-electrode in dye-sensitized solar cell

ABSTRACT

Polyaniline (PANI)/graphene composite is a good candidate for the counter-electrode in a Pt-free DSSC. In this study, the electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEG) from the used-battery graphite rod was produced. DC measurement reveals that EEG has a relatively low sheet resistance of 502.72 Ω/square. EEG suspension in DMF was used as synthesis media of PANI/EEG composite using the direct mixing method. Raman spectra show that the PANI/EEG composite was successfully synthesized as indicated by the presence of their characteristic peaks. Current density-voltage (J-V) measurements show that the power conversion efficiency of PANI/EEG composite better than the PANI-based counter-electrode.