THE PHOTORESPONSE BEHAVIOR OF A MEH-PPV SENSITIZED TITANIUM DIOXIDE PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

Abstract

A solid-state photoelectrochemical cell based on polymer-sensitized nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (nc-TiO₂) was constructed and studied for its photoresponse behavior. Poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and Poly[oxymethylene-oligo(oxyethylene)] (POMOE), complexed with I₃^-/I^- redox couple were used as a polymer-sensitizer to TiO₂ and as a solid polymer electrolyte, respectively. The device produced a short-circuit current of
0.145 mA/cm², and an open-circuit voltage of 410 mV under the irradiance of 100 mW/cm². The power conversion efficiency and the fill factor were 0.03 % and 0.5, respectively. The monochromatic induced photon-to-current conversion efficiencies for backside
(ITO/nc-TiO₂/MEH-PPV) and for front side (ITO/PEDOT) illuminations were 1.8 % and 1.4 %, respectively.

KEY WORDS: Solid-state photoelectrochemical cell, Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide, MEH-PPV, POMOE, I₃^-/I^- redox couple


Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2007, 21(2), 281-290.