Electrochemical Fabrication Of Nanostructured Polyaniline Film Counter Electrode For Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Nanostructured polyaniline films with controlled thickness have been successfully grown on FTO glass substrates using the cyclic voltammetry method at room temperature. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy are employed to monitor the surface microstructure on polyaniline films. It is found that nanoparticles polyaniline is firstly synthesised at FTO conducting surface and then linear polyanilne is grown on accumulated nanoparticles polyaniline, at last, netlike structured polyaniline is formed.These polyaniline films are used as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells, and the photoelectric performances of them are determined. Optimised polyaniline film counter electrode achieved photoenergy-conversion efficiency of 4.95%, competitive to 5.41% of platinum counter electrode, furthermore, the short-circuit photocurrent density of dye-sensitized solar cells with polyaniline film counter electrode increased by 11.6% in comparison to platinum counter electrode. As a result, polyanilne counter electrode could substitute for conventional expensive platinum counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells, because of its low cost and high performance.We have constructed theoretical model of electrochemical polymerization polyaniline:polyaniline films are composed of compact layers and scattered layers, which are different in formation structure and electrochemical properties. Applying this theoretical model, we interpreted the photoelectric performances of dye-sensitized solar cells with different thickness of polyaniline film counter electrodes. Theoretical model of electrochemical polymerization polyaniline also could help to achieve high performances electrodes or electronic appliances based on other conducting polymers.