A PEDOT-reinforced exfoliated graphite composite as a Pt- and TCO-free flexible counter electrode for polymer electrolyte dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Herein, we have demonstrated a highly efficient, flexible, and low-cost (Pt-free and TCO-free) counter electrode made of a highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/exfoliated graphite (EFG) composite in solid state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) employing polymer electrolytes. Electropolymerized one-dimensional PEDOT nanofibers were firmly attached to a flexible EFG sheet affording high catalytic activity and electron conductivity. PEDOT/EFG counter electrode-based DSSCs showed an energy conversion efficiency of 5.7% with a solid polymer electrolyte, which is significantly higher than conventional Pt electrodes (4.4%) under similar device architecture conditions.