Platinum-free counter electrodes of plasma-modified hybrid nanomaterials for dye-sensitised solar cells

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) nanotube and tungsten oxide (W18O49) nanowire were coated with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) by a radio frequency (RF: 13.56 MHz)rotating plasma-modification method as alternative counter electrodes for dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs). Surface analysis showed the homogenous plasma nanocoating of inorganic nanostructures by P3HT and PEDOT. It was demonstrated that the plasma-modified hybrid platinum-free counter electrodes increased the efficiencies of the DSSCs. The DSSCs based on hybrid nanostructure materials showed a short circuit current density of 9.49, 7.95, 2.59 and 2.57 mAcm(-2) for MoS2/P3HT, MoS2/PEDOT, W18O49/PEDOT and W18O49/P3HT samples, respectively. The plasma nanocoating with the nanostructured materials approach for obtaining hybrid counter electrodes in the photovoltaic action shows an alternative route towards cost-effective, green energy conversion.