Low cost poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate/carbon black counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

A poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate/carbon (PEDOT:PSS/C) counter electrode is prepare for using in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The PEDOT:PSS/C counter electrode possesses good conductivity of 1.73 S/cm and low charge transfer resistance. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements indicate that the PEDOT:PSS/C electrode has higher catalytic activity than the conventional Pt electrode. Under the optimized conditions, the DSSC with PEDOT:PSS/C counter electrode achieves a high light-to-electric conversion efficiency of 7.01% under a simulated solar light irradiation with an intensity of 100 mW cm−2.

► Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate/carbon electrode is prepared. ► The PEDOT:PSS/C counter electrode possesses high conductivity and catalytic activity. ► The DSSC with PEDOT:PSS/C electrode achieves an efficiency of 7.01%.