Development of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polythiophene (MWCNT/PTh) nanocomposites for platinum-free dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

Platinum is utilized to a significant degree as a catalyst material in the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells. However, its utilization is constrained by its high cost, scarcity, requirement for high purity, poor corrosion resistance against liquid electrolytes, and energy-intensive deposition techniques. It is possible to substitute platinum with carbon allotropes or composites built of conductive polymer materials. In this study, in-situ polymerization was used to synthesize nanocomposites of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and polythiophene. X-ray Diffraction, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used to examine the interactions between ingredients and the morphological features of composites, respectively. The results showed that the amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in composites affects the effectiveness of solar devices. Compared to cells based on 10% and 60 %MWCNTs/PTh, the efficiency of the cell that was made with 30 %MWCNTs/PTh exhibited a greater level of performance. The results also showed that the MWCNTs/PTh device outperformed Pt-based solar cells in terms of performance.

Automated summary

In this study, nanocomposites of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and polythiophene were synthesized using in-situ polymerization. The amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the composites was found to affect the effectiveness of solar devices, with the 30% MWCNTs/PTh cell exhibiting the highest performance.