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

A. KANCIURZEWSKA1, E. DOBRUCHOWSKA1,2, A. BARANZAHI1, E. CARLEGRIM1, M. FAHLMAN1, M. A. GÎRŢU3,*

Affiliation

  1. Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, S-60174 Norrköping, Sweden
  2. Department of Molecular Physics, Technical University of Lodz, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
  3. Department of Physics, Ovidius University of Constanţa, 900527 Constanţa, Romania

Abstract

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 I¯/I3 ¯ 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 I3 ¯, I2 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 I3 ¯ to I¯ in the redox electrolyte and has caused worse cell performance than in case of DSSC with Pt counter electrode..

Keywords

Dye-sensitized solar cells, plastic counter electrode, PEDOT-PSS, photoelectron spectroscopy.

Submitted at: Nov. 2, 2006
Accepted at: April 15, 2007

Citation

A. KANCIURZEWSKA, E. DOBRUCHOWSKA, A. BARANZAHI, E. CARLEGRIM, M. FAHLMAN, M. A. GÎRŢU, Study on Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)- Poly(styrenesulfonate) as a plastic counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 9, Iss. 4, pp. 1052-1059 (2007)