The Effect of Incorporation of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube into Poly(Ethylene Oxide) Gel Electrolyte on the Photovoltaic Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

ABSTRACT

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) consist of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), sodium iodide (NaI) and different amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were prepared. The conductivity study revealed that the highest ionic conductivity of GPE was 7.02 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹. The structural and complexation between the materials are authenticated via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Under the exposure of AM 1.5, the fabricated DSSCs exhibited the highest photoenergy conversion efficiency of 7.23% with a short circuit current density (J_SC) of 18.64 mA cm⁻², open circuit voltage (V_OC) of 0.590 mV and fill factor (FF) of 65.7%.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Dye-sensitized solar cell
• gel polymer electrolyte
• MWCNT
• nanofiller
• PEO

Acknowledgments

This work is financially supported by Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FP012-015A), from Ministry of Education, Malaysia and University of Malaya Research Grant (UMRG: RG382-17AFR).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institut Pengurusan dan Pemantauan Penyelidikan, Universiti Malaya [UMRG: RG382-17AFR];Universiti Malaya [FP012-2015A];