Chemically synthesized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) conducting polymer as a robust electrocatalyst for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells†

Chemically synthesized PEDOT (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)) nanomaterials, with various nanostructured morphologies as well as different intrinsic electrical conductivities and crystallinities, were compared as electrocatalysts for Co(III) reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Electrochemical parameters, charge transfer resistance toward the electrode/electrolyte interface, catalytic activity for Co(III)-reduction, and diffusion of cobalt redox species greatly depend on the morphology, crystallinity, and intrinsic electrical conductivity of the chemically synthesized PEDOTs and optimization of the fabrication procedure for counter electrodes. The PEDOT counter electrode, fabricated by spin coating a DMSO-dispersed PEDOT solution with an ordered 1D structure and nanosized fibers averaging 70 nm in diameter and an electrical conductivity of ∼16 S cm⁻¹, exhibits the lowest charge transfer resistance, highest diffusion for a cobalt redox mediator and superior electrocatalytic performance compared to a traditional Pt-counter electrode. The photovoltaic performance of the DSSC using chemically synthesized PEDOT exceeds that of a Pt-electrode device because of the enhanced current density, which is directly related to the superior electrocatalytic ability of PEDOT for Co(III)-reduction. This simple spin-coated counter electrode prepared using cheap and scalable chemically synthesized PEDOT can be a potential alternative to the expensive Pt-counter electrode for cobalt and other redox electrolytes in DSSCs and various flexible electronic devices.