Photoelectropolymerization of aniline in a dye-sensitized solar cell

摘要

A dye-sensitized solar cell was constructed using a porphyrin photosensitizer and, in place of the usual iodide redox system, a solution in aniline solvent containing lithium perchlorate electrolyte, camphorsulfonic acid, and poly( ethylene oxide) copolymer. Irradiation generated polyaniline within the cell, initially following a proposed photoelectropolymerization mechanism, and eventually operating as a solar cell with polyaniline as the hole transport medium. Overall energy conversion efficiency was 0.8 at moderate light intensities (14.6 mW cm(-2)) but lower at higher light intensities due to conductivity limitations.