Metal octacarboxyphthalocyanine / multi-walled carbon nanotube hybrid for the development of dye solar cells

Abstract

This study reports the successful synthesis and integration of metallo-octacarboxyphthalocyanines-multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MOCPc-MWCNTs) (M = Zn, Ga(OH) and Si(OH)2) hybrid system for the application of dye solar cells. The metal octacarboxyphthalocyanines-multi-walled carbon nanotubes hybrid was prepared through non- covalent (Pi)p-(Pi)p stacking. The metallo-octacarboxyphthalocyanines-multi-walled carbon nanotubes hybrid was later employed in dye solar cells as a photosensitiser of choice to enhance the performance and efficiency of this device. The dye solar cell devices were fabricated using metallo-octacarboxyphthalocyanines-multi-walled carbon nanotubes hybrid adsorbed on the TiO2 semiconductor and further characterised with solar simulator. The physical and electrochemical characterisations of metallo-octacarboxyphthalocyanines-multi-walled carbon nanotubes hybrid were investigated using spectroscopy (UV-Vis, FTIR, EDX, XRD), microscopy (TEM, SEM and AFM), TGA, and electrochemistry (Cyclic voltammetry, photo-chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy). The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on metallo-octacarboxyphthalocyanine was firstly verified by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The UV-Vis spectroscopy of metallo-octacarboxyphthalocyanines in DMF showed the characteristic Q-band at around 680 nm. Upon integration with multi-walled carbon nanotubes the Q-band was red-shifted.