Tanninsulfonic Acid Doped Polyaniline as a Novel Heterojunction Material in Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Solar Cells

摘要

Polyaniline (PANT) is a widely researched inherently conducting polymer (ICP) with applications in organic photovoltaic technology such as hole-transport layers. Less work has been reported on its use as an active layer in heterojunction solar cells. We report here that tanninsulfonic acid, a renewable resource, is a photoactive macromolecule that has been incorporated into the polyaniline chain. The presence of tanninsulfonic acid has been confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. The product has been processed into solutions using camphorsulfonic acid and m-cresol from which films are cast. Tanninsulfonic acid-doped polyaniline, TANIPANI, is an attractive ICP for use in low-cost PV devices due to a facile synthesis and its stability in air. Similar to other ICPs, this material can be processed by traditional techniques such as spin-coating, air-brushing, ink-jet printing, etc. that allow it to be easily scalable. The structural characteristics of TANIPANI are analyzed by UV-Vis and infrared spectroscopy. TANIPANI has been incorporated into a hybrid organic/inorganic photovoltaic device for the first time. Devices were fabricated by spin-coating solutions of TANIPANI onto n-type silicon (n-Si) substrates. The illuminated and dark current-voltage characteristics of devices are reported. For the devices produced, the maximum short circuit current, open circuit potential, fill factor and power conversion efficiency were 11 mA/cm~2, 0.430 V, 0.24, and 1.11%, respectively.