Enhanced Performance of Polymer Solar Cells using PEDOT:PSS Doped with Fe₃O₄ Magnetic Nanoparticles Aligned by an External Magnetostatic Field as an Anode Buffer Layer

Low efficiency and poor stability are two major obstacles limiting the manufacturing of renewable and cost-effective polymer solar cell (PSCs). To address these problems, solution-processed poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) doped with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles ((PEDOT:PSS):Fe3O4), and above (PEDOT:PSS):Fe3O4 thin film aligned by an external magnetostatic field ([(PEDOT:PSS):Fe3O4] W/H) were used as the anode buffer layer for PSCs, respectively. As compared with PSCs with PEDOT:PSS as an anode buffer layer, 38.5% enhanced efficiency and twice improved stability are observed from PSCs incorporated with [(PEDOT:PSS):Fe3O4] W/H anode buffer layer. It was found that enhanced efficiency and improved stability resulted from a combination of reduced acidity of PEDOT:PSS and enhanced electrical conductivity that originated from generated counterions and the paramagnetism of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles by an external magnetostatic field.