Controlling of Conductivity and Morphological Properties of Hole-Transport Layer Using Ionic Liquid for Vacuum-Free Planar Hybrid Solar Cells

Viet Thanh Hau Pham, Thanh Kieu Trinh, Hamid M. Shaikh (), Saeed M. Al-Zahrani, Abdullah Alhamidi, Sami Bin Dahman, Mohaseen S. Tamboli and Nguyen Tam Nguyen Truong ()
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Viet Thanh Hau Pham: Department of Chemistry and Environment, Da Lat University, Dalat 66100, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Thanh Kieu Trinh: Department of Biotechnology and Environment, Yersin University of Da Lat, Dalat 66100, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Hamid M. Shaikh: SABIC Polymer Research Center (SPRC), Department of Chemical Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Saeed M. Al-Zahrani: SABIC Polymer Research Center (SPRC), Department of Chemical Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah Alhamidi: SABIC Polymer Research Center (SPRC), Department of Chemical Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Sami Bin Dahman: SABIC Polymer Research Center (SPRC), Department of Chemical Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Mohaseen S. Tamboli: Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH), 200 Hyeokshin-ro, Naju 58330, Republic of Korea
Nguyen Tam Nguyen Truong: School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: In this study, an acidic (A) and pH-neutral (pHN) solution using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the hole-transport layer (HTL) was modified using a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM + Cl − ) ionic liquid (IL). The effects of this ionic liquid on the conductivity and morphological properties of the PEDOT:PSS films were investigated. The conductivity and morphological properties of the PEDOT: PSS films before and after adding IL were measured using a UV–vis spectrophotometer and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. The conductivity of the A-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was decreased, while the conductivity of the pHN-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was increased. The surface morphology of the A-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was slightly decreased, while the conductivity of the pHN-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid was slightly increased. The vacuum-free planar hybrid solar cells (VFPHSCs) using the pHN-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid show a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than the VFPHSCs using the A-PEDOT:PSS-film-based ionic liquid. We also report that a solar cell with a structure of ITO/pHN-PEDOT:PSS/PTB7:PCBM/PEO/EGaIn has a maximum PCE of about ~5%.

Keywords: vacuum free; conductivity; hybrid; surface roughness; ionic liquid (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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