Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
182895 | Electrochimica Acta | 2016 | 8 Pages |
Polypyrrole (PPy) with graphene coated Al2O3 (GCA) composite films with different levels of graphene were fabricated via a two-step process. GCA was first prepared. A dispersed solution of monomeric pyrrole and GCA was deposited on a fluorine doped tin oxide film by one-step electrodeposition and used as an electrocatalyst on the counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSCs fabricated from these CEs were characterized by the current density-voltage, incident photon-to-current conversionss efficiency, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel measurements. The DSSCs containing the 3 wt.% PPy/GCA (PPy/GCA) CE exhibited an efficiency of 7.33%, whereas the DSSCs with a CE having Pt as the catalytic material showed an efficiency of 7.57%. The results show that the PPy/GCA composite film is a potential catalyst for replacing the expensive, conventional Pt in DSSCs.
Graphical abstractPolypyrrole (PPy) with graphene coated Al2O3 (GCA) counter electrodes (CEs) with different levels of GCA were fabricated via a simple two-step process. The DSSCs containing the PPy/3 wt.% GCA (PPy/GCA) CE exhibited an efficiency of 7.33%, whereas the DSSC having Pt as the CE showed an efficiency of 7.57%. The results show that the PPy/GCA composite film is a potential catalyst for replacing the expensive, conventional Pt in DSSCs.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide