Original: https://doi.org/10.1080/14786451.2017.1333995
Researchers coated two types of tiny inorganic materials – MoS₂ nanotubes and W₁₈O₄₉ nanowires -with two conductive polymers, P3HT and PEDOT. They used a special low-temperature plasma-coating method to do this. The goal was to create new platinum-free counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), because platinum is expensive.
Surface studies confirmed that the plasma method coated the nanomaterials evenly with the polymers.
When these new hybrid materials were used in solar cells, the cells became more efficient. The best results came from the MoS₂/P3HT and MoS₂/PEDOT combinations, which produced short-circuit current densities of 9.49 mA/cm² and 7.95 mA/cm², respectively. The W₁₈O₄₉-based samples also worked, but produced lower currents.
Overall, this plasma-coating approach provides a new, low-cost way to make effective counter electrodes without platinum, helping move toward cheaper and greener solar energy technology.