Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T17:00:38.888Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Photovoltaic properties of multi walled carbon nanotubes - poly(3-octathiophene) conducting polymer blends structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2013

Punya A. Basnayaka ,
Pedro Villalba ,
Manoj K. Ram ,
Lee Stefanakos  and
Ashok Kumar
Punya A. Basnayaka*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clean Energy Research Center,
Pedro Villalba*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering,
Manoj K. Ram*
Affiliation:
Clean Energy Research Center, Nanotechnology Research and Education Center,
Lee Stefanakos*
Affiliation:
Clean Energy Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Avenue, ENB 118, Tampa, FL, 33620
Ashok Kumar*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clean Energy Research Center,
*
*[email protected]
†[email protected]
‡[email protected]
§[email protected]
[email protected]
Get access

Abstract

In the present study, we have studied photoelectrochemical properties of poly(3-octathiophene) (P3OT), blending with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). P3OT blended with MWCNTs was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Raman spectroscope, and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) techniques, respectively. The photoelectrochemical current of the MWCNs-P3OT based cell under illumination was investigated by applying a voltage. The blend consisting of 10% MWCNTs in P3OT gave the promising photocurrent in 0.2 M tetra-butyl-ammonium-tetrafluoroborate (TBATFB), electrolyte. Experimental results indicate that photocurrent obtained from MWCNT-P3OT was three times higher than simple P3OT-based conducting polymer. The electrochemical responses of MWCNT-P3OT films in different electrolytes such as 0.2M TBATFB, 0.2 M LiClO4, 1 M H2SO4 and 0.2 M LiBF6 were investigated for comparative photocurrent properties of the photoelectrochemical cell.

Keywords

energy generationphotovoltaicpolymer
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1493: Symposium E/H – Photovoltaic Technologies, Devices and Systems Based on Inorganic Materials, Small Organic Molecules and Hybrids , 2013 , pp. 139 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Goetzbergera, Adolf, Heblinga, Christopher, Schock, Hans-Werner, “Photovoltaic materials, history, status and outlook,” Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 40, pp. 1–46, 2002.Google Scholar
Peumans, Peter, Uchida, Soichi, Forrest, Stephen R., “Efficient bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells using smallmolecular- weight organic thin films,” vol. 425, pp. 158–162, 2003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wei, Di, Amaratunga, Gehan, “Photoelectrochemical Cell and Its Applications in Optoelectronics,” Int. J. Electrochem. Sci, vol. 2, pp. 897–912, 2007.Google Scholar
Chen, Y., Jiang, Z., Gao, M., Watkins, S. E., Lu, P., Wang, H., and Chen, X., “Efficiency enhancement for bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells via incorporation of alcohol soluble conjugated polymer interlayer,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 100, no. 20, pp. 203304–203304–5, 2012.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Espinosa, N., Dam, H. F., Tanenbaum, D. M., Andreasen, J. W., Jørgensen, M., and Krebs, F. C., “Roll-to-Roll Processing of Inverted Polymer Solar Cells using Hydrated Vanadium(V)Oxide as a PEDOT: PSS Replacement,” Materials, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 169–182, 2011.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Berson, S., de Bettignies, R., Bailly, S., Guillerez, S., and Jousselme, B., “Elaboration of P3HT/CNT/PCBM Composites for Organic Photovoltaic Cells,” Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 17, no. 16, pp. 3363–3370, 2007.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ram, M. K., Gomez, H., Alvi, F., (Lee) Stefanakos, E., Goswami, Y., and Kumar, A., “Novel Nanohybrid Structured Regioregular Polyhexylthiophene Blend Films for Photoelectrochemical Energy Applications,” J. Phys. Chem. C, vol. 115, no. 44, pp. 21987–21995, Nov. 2011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hukic-Markosian, G., Basel, T., Singh, S., Valy Vardeny, Z., Li, S., and Laird, D., “Study of photoexcitations in poly(3-hexylthiophene) for photovoltaic applications,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 100, no. 21, pp. 213903–213903–5, May 2012.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kymakisa, E. and Amaratunga, G. A. J., “Single-wall carbon nanotube/ conjugated polymer photovoltaic devices, ” vol. 80, no. 1, pp. 112–114, 2002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sibinski, M., Jakubowska, M., Znajdek, K., Sloma, M., Guzowski, B. “Carbon nanotube transparent conductive layers for solar cells applications,” Optica Applicata, pp. 375–381, 2011.Google Scholar
Zdrojek, M., Gebicki, W., Jastrzebski, C., Melin, T., Huczko, A., “Studies of multiwall carbon nanotubes using Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy,” Solide State Phenomena, vol. 99, no. 265, 2004.Google Scholar