The counter electrode plays an important role in the perovskite solar cell (PSC) device. Carbon, due to its natural abundance, proper electronic property and flexibility, has become a promising candidate for the development of carbon paste for high-efficiency PSCs. The process for fabricating carbon electrodes is time-consuming, and it's also complicated. In this work, a new carbon paste was developed to improve the stability and efficiency of PSCs. It is engineered using copper phthalocyanine(CuPc) in the normal carbon past. The CuPc modification of the carbon electrode results in better interaction between the perovskite/carbon surface, which leads to higher Voc/J-V performance for PSCs that have a simple structure consisting of FTO/compact MAPbI2/carbon film.
Globally, the electrode paste market is growing rapidly due to the increasing demand from different industries for improved energy efficiency. Technological innovations aimed at optimizing formulations of electrode pastes are fueling growth in the industry. They also drive innovation and competitiveness. The global economy and the development of infrastructure also have an impact on the market growth by increasing demand for advanced industrial goods.
One of the most significant challenges in the production of electrode paste is how to achieve optimal kneading conditions. This is a critical process for ensuring a product of high performance. The kneading time and temperature must be chosen to strike a balance that improves the performance of the electrode paste while avoiding conditions which can degrade its product quality.
A new carbon compound has been developed which combines graphene, normal carbon and a sulfonated polyisobutylene binding agent. This new formula results in high-performance PSCs, with a JV up to 17%. It also has excellent stability. In addition, the sulfonated polyisobutylene enhances the adhesion between the graphene and carbon electrodes.
Fig. 1. SEM images fabricated carbon electrodes with clay paste and graphene (A - clay, B - graphene).
The prepared carbon electrodes were subjected, at room temperatures, to square-wave voltammetry and cycle-voltammetry in an acetic/phosphoric acid mixture of 0.5 moles L-1 and 3 mL. The voltage versus current curves (V-Is) were recorded on a EmStat3 Potentiostat with a M164 Electrode Stand. The electrodes used were a platinum wire and Ag/AgCl (KCl, 3 mmol/L).
Energy-dispersive X ray spectroscopy, or EDX, was used to determine the chemical compositions of graphene and clay on SEM stubs covered with carbon conductive tape. The EDX analysis revealed the graphene electrode has a layered structure while the clay electrode has clay grains distributed across the surface. The surface texture was further investigated using a scanning electron microscope (FEI NovaNano-SEM) equipped a standard Everhar Thornley SE detector in immersion at 1000x magnification. The kneading process is essential for producing an electrode that has an efficient interaction with the perovskite/carbon material interface, and the high electrical conductivity of the carbon pastes was confirmed by a wide-angle scattering method.
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