Poly(3,3-dibenzyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4] dioxepine)/platinum composite films as potential counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

In this study, poly(3,3-dibenzyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine)/platinum composite films (PProDOT-Bz2/Pt) were used as counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The composite films were prepared on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by radio frequency (RF) sputtering to deposit platinum (Pt) for 30 s. Afterwards, PProDOT-Bz2 was deposited on the Pt-FTO glass via electrochemical polymerization. The electron transfer process of DSSCs was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The DSSCs with 0.05 C/cm2 PProDOT-Bz2-Pt composite films showed an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.70 V, a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 7.27 mA/cm2, and a fill factor (F.F.) of 68.74%. This corresponded to a photovoltaic conversion efficiency (η) of 3.50% under a light intensity of 100 mW/cm2.