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Synergistical assembly of multiwalled carbon nanotubes/polyaniline network for dye‐sensitized solar cells
Author(s) -
Chiang TunYuan,
Huang MingChao,
Tsai ChienHuang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.3340
Subject(s) - polyaniline , materials science , carbon nanotube , triiodide , chemical engineering , polymerization , electrolyte , dye sensitized solar cell , electrode , nanotechnology , polymer , composite material , chemistry , engineering
In this study, an aniline (ANI) solution containing well‐dispersed multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been prepared. With an aim of improving the dispersability of CNTs in ANI monomer, we synthesize CNTs/ANI complexes using a reflux technique which can be electrochemically polymerized to form well‐dispersed CNTs/polyaniline (PANI) films. The refluxed CNTs/ANI solution can be used to prepare high porous CNTs/PANI network via an electrochemical polymerization for applying as counter electrodes in dye‐sensitized solar cells. Compared with the pristine PANI, the multiwalled CNTs/PANI network shows more porous morphology and higher electrocatalytic activity, resulting in the acceleration of the reaction (triiodide (I 3− ) to iodide (I − )) of the redox electrolyte. The enhancement of the electrocatalytic activity is attributed to the interactions between multiwalled CNTs and PANI, promoting the quinoid ring structure and thus enhancing the conductivity of the polymer chains. The device, assembled with multiwalled CNTs/PANI network as counter electrodes, delivers 7.67% power conversion efficiency, which is comparable to 7.43% of that with Pt. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.