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A novel method for graphene synthesis via electrochemical process and its utilization in organic photovoltaic devices

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Abstract

Graphene nanosheets have been prepared from fine graphite powders by a novel electrochemical exfoliation method using non-volatile sulfate salts. This new method utilizes a stainless steel wire cage and platinum wire electrodes to exfoliate pre-pelleted graphite powders into graphene sheets. Synthesized graphene samples have been characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The obtained supernatant shows a stable suspension in DMF. This suspension was then used in organic solar cells (OSCs) as an additive to poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). Organic solar cells have been prepared using Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) as the transparent conducting oxide, PEDOT:PSS-Graphene as the hole transport layer (HTL), Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl:[6,6]-Phenyl-C60-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) as the active layer and Aluminum as the cathode, in ITO/PEDOT:PSS-Graphene/P3HT:PCBM/Al configuration. The photovoltaic cell prepared with graphene as an additive inside PEDOT:PSS exhibited over 66% improvement compared to the reference cells employing pure PEDOT:PSS.

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Acknowledgements

This study has been funded by the Yıldız Technical University Office of Scientific Research Project No: FYL-2018-3393. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Yıldız Technical University Office of Scientific Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Nano Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, 34956, Tuzla, İstanbul, Turkey

    Kuray Dericiler

  2. Department of Physics, Davutpasa Campus, Faculty of Arts and Science, Yıldız Technical University, 34210, Esenler, İstanbul, Turkey

    Hamed Moeini Alishah, Sinem Bozar & Serap Güneş

  3. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Davutpasa Campus, Faculty of Chemistry and Metallurgy, Yıldız Technical University, 34210, Esenler, İstanbul, Turkey

    Figen Kaya

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  1. Kuray Dericiler
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Dericiler, K., Alishah, H.M., Bozar, S. et al. A novel method for graphene synthesis via electrochemical process and its utilization in organic photovoltaic devices. Appl. Phys. A 126, 904 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-020-04091-3

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