Platinum-free cathode for dye-sensitized solar cells using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) formed via oxidative molecular layer deposition.

Thin ∼ 20 nm conformal poly(3,4-ehylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films are incorporated in highly conductive mesoporous indium tin oxide (m-ITO) by oxidative molecular layer deposition (oMLD). These three-dimensional catalytic/conductive networks are successfully employed as Pt-free cathodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with open circuit voltage equivalent to Pt cathode devices. Thin and conformal PEDOT films on m-ITO by oMLD create high surface area and efficient electron transport paths to promote productive reduction reaction on the PEDOT film. Because of these two synergetic effects, PEDOT-coated m-ITO by oMLD shows power conversion efficiency, 7.18%, comparable to 7.26% of Pt, and higher than that of planar PEDOT coatings, which is 4.85%. Thus, PEDOT-coated m-ITO is an exceptional opportunity to compete with Pt catalysts for low-cost energy conversion devices.