Effect of single walled carbon nanotubes on the performance of poly-(3-hexylthiophene) solar cell

Abstract

Thin films of P3HT formed from sonicated solutions were found to have larger absorption than those formed from homogenised solutions because of improved ordering of polymer chains. Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNNs) were dispersed in poly-[3-hexylthiophene] (P3HT), and were found to quench the photoluminescence (PL) of P3HT, both in solution and thin film form. The PL peak intensity of P3HT thin film was reduced by 4 orders of magnitude with the addition of 2 wt% SWNNs. P3HT-SWNT bulk heterojunction organic solar cells were fabricated with varying SWNT content. The solar cell efficiency increased by 2.4 times when the SWNT content is increased from 0.2 wt% to 2 wt% because of increased open circuit voltage and short circuit current.