A paper-based electrode using a graphene dot/PEDOT:PSS composite for flexible solar cells

Lee, Chuan-Pei; Lai, Kun-Yu; Lin, Chin-An; Li, Chun-Ting; Ho, Kuo-Chuan; Wu, Chih-I; Lau, Shu-Ping; He, Jr-Hau

A paper-based electrode using a graphene dot/PEDOT:PSS composite for flexible solar cells

Files

1-s2.0-S221128551730246X-main.pdf (1.71 MB)

Type

Article

Authors

Lee, Chuan-Pei
Lai, Kun-Yu
Lin, Chin-An
Li, Chun-Ting
Ho, Kuo-Chuan
Wu, Chih-I
Lau, Shu-Ping
He, Jr-Hau

KAUST Department

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) Division
Electrical Engineering Program
KAUST Solar Center (KSC)

KAUST Grant Number

OSR-2016-CRG5-3005
FCC/1/3079-08-01

Online Publication Date

2017-04-22

Print Publication Date

2017-06

Date

2017-04-22

Abstract

We have synthesized a metal-free composite ink that contains graphene dots (GDs) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) that can be used on paper to serve as the counter electrode in a flexible dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). This paper-based GD/PEDOT:PSS electrode is low-cost, light-weight, flexible, environmentally friendly, and easy to cut and process for device fabrication. We determined the GD/PEDOT:PSS composite effectively fills the dense micro-pores in the paper substrate, which leads to improved carrier transport in the electrode and a 3-fold enhanced cell efficiency as compared to the paper electrode made with sputtered Pt. Moreover, the DSSC with the paper electrode featuring the GD/PEDOT:PSS composite did not fail in photovoltaic tests even after bending the electrode 150 times, whereas the device made with the Pt-based paper electrode decreased in efficiency by 45% after such manipulation. These exceptional properties make the metal-free GD/PEDOT:PSS composite ink a promising electrode material for a wide variety of flexible electronic applications.

Citation

Lee C-P, Lai K-Y, Lin C-A, Li C-T, Ho K-C, et al. (2017) A paper-based electrode using a graphene dot/PEDOT:PSS composite for flexible solar cells. Nano Energy 36: 260–267. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2017.04.044.

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) (OSR-2016-CRG5-3005), KAUST solar center (FCC/1/3079-08-01), KAUST baseline funding, the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (PolyU 153012/14P), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11374250), and National Taiwan University (102R4000).