Enhanced photovoltaic performance in Polypyrrole nanoparticles counter electrode due to incorporation of Multi-walled carbon nanotubes

In this present work, Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) with different content by weight (10%, 20%, 30%, 50% and 70%) are introduced into Polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy NP) matrix and fabricated as Pt free counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). For comparison DSSCs using pristine PPy NP, MWNTs and Platinum (Pt) were also fabricated. The incorporation of MWNTs acts as conductive channel and co-catalyst to the PPy NP CEs in the reduction of I-3 to I- . The electrochemical catalytic activities of different CEs were analysed by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and photovoltaic performance was studied under standard AM 1.5 sunlight illumination. It was observed that incorporation of MWNTs in the PPy NP CE greatly enhanced the catalytic activity for I-3 reduction and significantly reduced the charge transfer resistance in the PPy NP/MWNTs composite CE finally improving short-circuit photocurrent density, fill factor, open circuit voltage and power conversion efficiency of DSSC. DSSC fabricated from PPy NP/MWNTs composite CE with 50% MWNTs content reached the highest photoconversion efficiency of 5.80% which is 91% that of Pt CE based DSSC (6.37%).