Graphene/polyaniline nanocomposite as counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells

Graphene/polyaniline nanocomposite was synthesized using in situ polymerization of aniline monomer in the presence of graphene sheets under acid conditions. The nanocomposite together with the pure polyaniline and graphene were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Graphene sheets as the support materials could provide more active sites for the nucleation of polyaniline. The graphene sheets were homogeneously coated on the surface with polyaniline nanoparticles. The graphene/polyaniline nanocomposite was deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass and applied as the counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells. The conversion efficiency of the dye-sensitized solar cell with graphene/polyaniline counter electrode reached 6.09%, which is comparable to 6.88% of the cell with Pt counter electrode under the same experimental conditions. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.