Enhancement of the performance of cadmium sulfide quantum dot solar cells using a platinum–polyaniline counter electrode and a silver nanoparticle-sensitized photoanode

Hamzeh Nourolahi; Mohammad Agha Bolorizadeh; Navid Dorri; Abbas Behjat

doi:10.1117/1.JNP.11.036001

6 July 2017 Enhancement of the performance of cadmium sulfide quantum dot solar cells using a platinum–polyaniline counter electrode and a silver nanoparticle-sensitized photoanode

Hamzeh Nourolahi, Mohammad Agha Bolorizadeh, Navid Dorri, Abbas Behjat

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Nanophotonics, Vol. 11, Issue 3, 036001 (July 2017). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JNP.11.036001

Abstract

A metal-polymer nanocomposite of platinum–polyaniline (Pt/PANI) was deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrates to function as a counter electrode for polysulfide redox reactions in cadmium sulfide quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. In addition, front-side illuminated photoelectrodes were sensitized by silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) as an interfacial layer between a transparent conducting oxide substrate and a TiO₂ layer. This configuration, i.e., both the Pt/PANI counter electrode and the Ag NPs in the photoanode, leads to 1.92% in the power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of the fabricated cells. A PCE enhancement of around 21% was obtained for the Ag NPs-sensitized photoanodes, as compared with the Ag NPs-free one. The improved performance can be attributed to the easier transport of excited electrons and the inhibition of charge recombination due to the application of an Ag NPs layer. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements showed that once Ag NPs are incorporated in a photoanode, electron transport time decreases in the photoanode structure.

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Hamzeh Nourolahi, Mohammad Agha Bolorizadeh, Navid Dorri, and Abbas Behjat "Enhancement of the performance of cadmium sulfide quantum dot solar cells using a platinum–polyaniline counter electrode and a silver nanoparticle-sensitized photoanode," Journal of Nanophotonics 11(3), 036001 (6 July 2017). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JNP.11.036001

Received: 28 March 2017; Accepted: 16 June 2017; Published: 6 July 2017

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