Abstract
The infiltration of dissolved dyes into vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (va-CNT) is reported. The ultra hydrophobic surface of the CNT forest can be wetted and hence infiltrated for an appropriate choice of solvent. The dye-infiltrated CNT array forms a well ordered bulk-heterojunction structure for organic solar cells in which the CNT can act as a large electrode or, for appropriate energy levels, as an acceptor material. Derivatives of the small molecule copper phthalocyanine or the polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) were used as dyes. Drop coating was chosen as the infiltration technique resulting in a completely embedded CNT forest. Field emission secondary electron microscopy analysis illustrates the final layer quality. Common electrical characterization under AM1.5 illumination proves photosensitivity and implies photovoltaic behavior of the composite.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank N. Benson, S. M. Avdoshenko, K. Kühn, A. Benke, M. Thieme, S. Conze, and S. Hildebrandt for fruitful discussions and O. Trommer for kind support with the FE-SEM. Victor Bezugly acknowledges financial support from DFG (KU 2347/2-1).
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Lackner, G., Endler, I., Meissner, F. et al. Dyes in Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays for Solar Cell Applications. MRS Online Proceedings Library 1390, 00647 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2012.647
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2012.647