Fabrication of a free-standing TiCT -PTh counter electrode interfacial polymerization for dye-sensitized solar cells.

The current work involves the fabrication of a MXene-Polythiophene (TiCT -PTh) composite interfacial polymerization, alongside its deployment as a counter electrode (CE) or photocathode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The structural properties of the synthesized materials were investigated through a comprehensive array of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical performance, assessed cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), revealed that the TiCT -PTh CE exhibits superior electro-catalytic activity, and reduction in charge transfer resistance compared to other individual CEs. These observations are in concordance with the data obtained from Tafel analysis. The incorporation of TiCT sheets into the composite significantly augmented its catalytic efficacy for triiodide reduction, manifesting in elevated short-circuit photocurrent density and enhanced fill factor metrics. A DSSC utilizing the TiCT -PTh CE exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.83%, which stands on par with that of traditional Pt CEs. Thus, the TiCT -PTh CE material is posited as a viable, cost-efficient alternative to Pt, heralding a new era in the engineering of counter electrodes for the next generation of DSSCs.