Fabrication of highly electro catalytic active layer of multi walled carbon nanotube/enzyme for Pt-free dye sensitized solar cells

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.04.199
• Publication Date: 2015-05-04T20:49:13Z
• Authors: Alvira Ayoub Arbab; Kyung Chul Sun; Iftikhar Ali Sahito; Muhammad Bilal Qadir; Sung Hoon Jeong
• Keywords: Tin oxide; Auxiliary electrode

Abstract Highly dispersed conductive suspensions of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) can have intrinsic electrical and electrochemical characteristics, which make them useful candidate for platinum (Pt)-free, dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). High energy conversion efficiency of 7.52% is demonstrated in DSSCs, based on enzyme dispersed MWCNT (E-MWCNT) layer deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. The E-MWCNT layer shows a pivotal role as platform to reduce large amount of iodide species via electro catalytically active layer, fabricated by facile tape casting under air drying technique. The E-MWCNT layer with large surface area, high mechanical adhesion, and good interconnectivity is derived from an appropriate enzyme dispersion, which provides not only enhanced interaction sites for the electrolyte/counter electrode interface but also improved electron transport mechanism. The surface morphology and structural characterization were investigated using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and electronic microscopy techniques. Electro catalytic activity (ECA) and electrochemical properties of E-MWCNT counter electrode (CE) were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of E-MWCNT CE is associated with the low charge transfer resistance ( R CT = 1.39 Ω cm 2 ) and excellent electro catalytic activity on the redox of the iodide/tri-iodide pair, as discovered by the cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigations. This facile E-MWCNT configuration provides a concrete fundamental background towards the development of the third generation photovoltaic devices.