Efficient hybrid photovoltaic devices based on in-situ electrochemical copolymerization of 3-methylthiophene and bithiophene into pores of nanocrystalline TiO2

Novel organic and inorganic hybrid photovoltaic devices were fabricated by in-situ electrochemical copolymerization of 3-methylthiophene(3MT) and bithiophene(BT) into the pores of nanostructured TiO2 sintered on fluorine-doped tin oxide(FTO) substrate. The photoactive layer was investigated by Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visable(UV-Vis) spectrometer, scanning electron microscope(SEM) and cyclic voltammogram characterization. Device efficiency based on different molar feed ratios of 3MT and BT during electrochemical polymerization, and the effect of in-situ copolymer state(doped by electrolyte and de-doped) were measured and compared. Under the solar illumination of 100 mW/cm2(AM1.5), an optimized device efficiency of 0.938% was obtained when the molar ratio of 3MT to BT was 500:1, polymerization time was 500 s and the system was in doped copolymer state, respectively. The mechanism of overall photovoltaic parameter improvement was discussed.