Multilayer thin films based on conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes and modified fullerenes for application in solar energy conversion

Author(s)

Luiz Carlos Pimentel Almeida

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Química
• Defense date: 2012-12-13

Examining board members

Ana Flávia Nogueira; Marcos Benedito José Geraldo de Freitas; Silmara das Neves; Italo Odone Mazali; Teresa Dib Zambon Atvars

• Advisor: Ana Flávia Nogueira; Valtencir Zucolotto

Abstract

In this work, multilayer thin films based on conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes and fullerene derivatives were studied. These films were fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition technique (LbL) through electrostatic interactions. This work is divided in two parts: 1-) LbL films composed of a conducting polymer poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) and carboxylic acid functionalized singlewalled carbon nanotubes (SWNT-COOH) were prepared in a block architecture, characterized and applied as electrodes in photoelectrochemical solar cells. Film morphology was evaluated by atomic force and epifluorescence microscopies, showing remarkable changes after incorporation of SWNT-COOH layers. The photoinduced charge transfer from the conducting polymer to SWNT-COOH was analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) quenching. Photoelectrochemical characterization was performed under white light and the films containing SWNTCOOH displayed photocurrent values up to 7.5 mA cm. Photocurrent generation was enhanced and became more stable when an intermediate layer of poly(3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene)¿poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) was interposed between the ITO electrode and LbL films. 2-) LbL films based on the conducting polymer sodium poly[2-(3-thienyl)-ethoxy-4-butylsulfonate] (PTEBS) and fullerene derivative C60-F were fabricated. Photophysical characterization shows the occurrence of photoinduced charge transfer from PTEBS to C60-F, which was also demonstrated by photocurrent generation obtained when (PTEBS/C60-F) multilayer films were applied as electrodes of photoelectrochemical solar cells. All these results make the LbL films based on organic semiconductors promising canditates towards solar energy conversion. (AU)