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Photovoltaic properties of multi walled carbon nanotubes - poly(3-octathiophene) conducting polymer blends structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2013

Punya A. Basnayaka ,
Pedro Villalba ,
Manoj K. Ram ,
Lee Stefanakos  and
Ashok Kumar
Punya A. Basnayaka*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clean Energy Research Center,
Pedro Villalba*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering,
Manoj K. Ram*
Affiliation:
Clean Energy Research Center, Nanotechnology Research and Education Center,
Lee Stefanakos*
Affiliation:
Clean Energy Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Avenue, ENB 118, Tampa, FL, 33620
Ashok Kumar*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clean Energy Research Center,
*
*pbasnaya@mail.usf.edu
†pvillalb@mail.usf.edu
‡mkram@usf.edu
§stefanak@eng.usf.edu
kumar@usf.edu
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Abstract

In the present study, we have studied photoelectrochemical properties of poly(3-octathiophene) (P3OT), blending with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). P3OT blended with MWCNTs was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Raman spectroscope, and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) techniques, respectively. The photoelectrochemical current of the MWCNs-P3OT based cell under illumination was investigated by applying a voltage. The blend consisting of 10% MWCNTs in P3OT gave the promising photocurrent in 0.2 M tetra-butyl-ammonium-tetrafluoroborate (TBATFB), electrolyte. Experimental results indicate that photocurrent obtained from MWCNT-P3OT was three times higher than simple P3OT-based conducting polymer. The electrochemical responses of MWCNT-P3OT films in different electrolytes such as 0.2M TBATFB, 0.2 M LiClO4, 1 M H2SO4 and 0.2 M LiBF6 were investigated for comparative photocurrent properties of the photoelectrochemical cell.

Keywords

energy generationphotovoltaicpolymer
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1493: Symposium E/H – Photovoltaic Technologies, Devices and Systems Based on Inorganic Materials, Small Organic Molecules and Hybrids , 2013 , pp. 139 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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