Enhanced performance of a dye-sensitized solar cell with a modified poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/TiO2/FFO counter electrode

ClO4--poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)TiO2/FTO (ClO4--PEDOT/TiO2/FTO) counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is fabricated by using an electrochemical deposition method. Comparing with the DSSCs with ClO4--PEDOT/FTO counter electrode, the photocurrent-voltage (I-V) measurement reveals that the photocurrent conversion efficiency (eta), fill factor (FF) and short-circuit current density (J(sc)) of DSSCs with a ClO4--PEDOT/TiO2/FTO CE increase. The enhanced performances of the DSSCs are attributed to the higher J(sc) arising from the increase of active surface area of ClO4--PEDOT/TiO2/FTO CE. Electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) also indicate that the charge-transfer resistance on the ClO4--PEDOT/electrolyte interface decreases. Cyclic voltammetry results indicate that the ClO4--PEDOT/TiO2/FTO electrode shows higher activity towards I-3(-)/I- redox reaction than that of ClO4--PEDOT/FTO electrode. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.