Facile fabrication of NiO doped PVDF-co-HFP/Mg(ClO4)2polymer composite membrane as a counter electrodein low-cost dye-sensitized solar cells

Poly(vinylidene co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) has gained considerable attention as an alternative to the commercial separators in energy devices. NiO nanofiller-based solid polymer composite electrolytic thin membranes (PVDF-co-HFP:Mg(ClO4)(2):NiO) were prepared using solid PVDF-co-HFP copolymer and Mg(ClO4)(2)via the solution-casting method. The obtained thin membranes were structurally characterized by FTIR, the porosity of the membrane was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an optimum SEM micrograph of 20.0 mu m magnification was taken to analyze the exact porous diameter distribution frequency. XRD analysis was used to confirm the physical state of the PVDF-co-HFP membrane and the composite membrane of (PVDF-co-HFP:Mg(ClO4)(2):NiO). Structural studies related to XRD peaks were broadened at an optimized Mg(ClO4)(2) salt concentration, confirming the presence of maximum amorphous content in the PVDF-co-HFP:Mg(ClO4)(2) composite. Using the Nyquist plot, the ohmic resistance (R-Omega), polarization resistance (R-P), and Warburg impedance (W) were determined to be at their lowest values for an optimum concentration of NiO nanofiller in the PVDF-co-HFP:Mg(ClO4)(2):NiO composite. The homogeneous dispersion of the nanofiller significantly improved the contact between electrode and electrolyte interfaces, resulting in high ionic conductivity. The DC and AC ionic conductivities of the pure PVDF-co-HFP and composite membrane of (PVDF-co-HFP:Mg(ClO4)(2):NiO) was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the optimum ionic conductivity was estimated as sigma = 4:511. 10(-3) Scm(-1). A spin-coating technique was employed to prepare dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The fill factor (FF = 0:858561799) and efficiency (eta%) = 11.12532 were estimated from the J-V graph. [GRAPHICS]