Electrodeposited polyaniline based carbon nanotubes fiber as efficient counter electrode in wire-shaped dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract Electrodeposited polyaniline over the carbon nanotubes fiber (CNTF) has been investigated as potential candidate to substitutes the Pt based auxiliary electrodes in unidimensional fibrous solar cells. CNTF, with excellent electrical and mechanical properties, modified with conducting polymer (polyaniline) via facile electrodeposition process which employed as cathodic materials showed efficient electrochemical reduction of triiodide ions in the fiber shaped dye-sensitized solar cells. Scanning electron microscopic analysis showed the efficacious integration of conducting polymer over the CNTF surface. The admirable electrocatalytic behavior of the fabricated electrode has investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Current density and voltage ( J–V ) curves are used to quantify the photovoltaic performance of devices with different counter electrodes with fixed photoanode. With lower peak to peak separation, improved current density and better fill factor, exhibited the superior efficiency of modified electrode (PANI@CNTF). As compared to pristine fiber, polyaniline modification showed the outstanding performance with improved photovoltaics and electrochemical parameters measured by the J–V and CV curves, respectively.