Development of polypyrrole/graphene (PPY/graphene) based electrocatalyst for platinum free dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 320; p. 132331
• Main Authors: Mahmood Khan, Irfan, Nazar, Rabia, Mehmood, Umer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.08.2022; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Counter electrode; Deionization; DSSC; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Dyes; Electrical measurement; Electrocatalysts; Energy conversion; Graphene; Materials science; Nanocomposites; Platinum; Polymerization; Polymers; Polypyrroles; Solar energy materials; Titanium dioxide; Nanocomposites; Polymers; Counter electrode; Solar energy materials; DSSC
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2022.132331

•PPY/Graphene Nanocomposites were prepared by in-situ polymerization method.•Nanocomposites were employed as electrocatalysts for the applications of DSSCs.•SEM analysis of PPY/GR shows the well adhesion between the constituents of nanocomposites.•The concentration of graphene in composites effect the performance of DSSCs. The purpose of this study was to fabricatePlatinum-free counter electrode (CE) materials for energy conversion devices. Initially, pyrrole was polymerized overnight in deionized water followed by 72 h of drying at 60 °C to obtain powdered PPY. Similarly, in-situ polymerization of pyrrole yielded PPY/graphene nanocomposite with variable graphene concentrations (2–8 wt%). Powdered samples were characterizedby SEM, XRD, and FTIR for compositional and morphological analysis. CEs of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were made with PPY and PPY/graphene composites. The dye-sensitized TiO2 photoanodes were connected to CEs to carry out current–voltage measurements usingKeithley Solar Simulator. The DSSCs with PPY/4 %graphene CE showedthe highest efficiency (3.06%).