Fabrication and Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene based Organic Photovoltaic Cells.

Abstract

The development of photovoltaic cell (PVC) architecture from economically abundant materials with lower fabrication cost with better performance is of great research interest for next generation optoelectronics. In class better unique physical properties of CNTs as well as the exposed dual surfaces of graphene has been utilised by blending them in a π-conjugated polymer (P3HT) for better carrier transport of charge carriers as well as efficient exciton dissociation. The structural properties of MWCNTs and/or graphene polymer composites have been investigated for photovoltaic applications. Better solar cell performance has been observed with efficiency as high as 4.3% and short circuit current density of 11.77 mA/cm2. Formation of more heterojunction sites as well as the conductive network created by MWCNT and/or reduced graphene in the composite has been attributed for the better performance of the solar cell. Improvement in the observed open-circuit voltage in the devices has been attributed to the increase in the HOMO level of the composites post-filler introduction. MWCNT and rGO incorporated PEDOT:PSS ternary composites has been investigated for transparent conductor applications in plastic solar cells. The poor fill factor observed signifies that there are lots of potential in the material for photovoltaics application. However, further investigation in device structure and controlling their content in the composite is needed for further enhancement in the device performance.