Issue 20, 2024

PEDOT-based counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: rigid, flexible and indoor light applications

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are promising technology owing to their unique properties such as high transparency, good color tunability, and easy large-area fabrication, which make them attractive candidates for emerging photovoltaic applications. However, conventional DSSCs require high-temperature processing for working and counter electrodes (WEs and CEs, respectively), limiting their diverse applications. Low temperature processing for highly catalytic CEs, particularly using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as a conducting and catalytic replacement for platinum, shows potential for increased efficiency under various light conditions. Despite the high catalytic activity of PEDOT, its limited solubility and processing technologies (e.g., electrochemical deposition and spin-coating) have necessitated the interest in composites of PEDOT either with poly(styrene sulfonate), metal compounds, or in combination with carbon materials, aiming to overcome these limitations. With the combined properties of high conductivity, catalytic activity, porosity, and low temperature processability, these CEs based on PEDOT have higher scientific and industrial prospects. Moreover, the highly transparent PEDOT-based CEs can also be used for bifacial application in DSSCs. To continuously draw interest to further research on these materials, this review provided an overview of PEDOT-based CEs for rigid, flexible, and indoor applications of DSSCs. Additionally, we discuss the changes in electronic, chemical, and stability properties associated with the formation of each type of composite material. The challenges and prospects of PEDOT-based materials are further highlighted, which pave the way for performance improvements in the future, as well as identifying other potential applications in the semiconductor industry.

Graphical abstract: PEDOT-based counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: rigid, flexible and indoor light applications

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
24 apr. 2024
Accepted
02 sep. 2024
First published
12 sep. 2024

Mater. Chem. Front., 2024,8, 3413-3445

PEDOT-based counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: rigid, flexible and indoor light applications

C. Chen, F. K. Asiam, A. K. Kaliamurthy, Md. M. Rahman, M. Sadiq and J. Lee, Mater. Chem. Front., 2024, 8, 3413 DOI: 10.1039/D4QM00347K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements