Porphyrin Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Doped Polypyrrole for Photovoltaic Applications

Porphyrins are functional dyes that are known to have photophysical properties. This property makes porphyrin commonly studied for its potential for becoming part of a dye-sensitized solar cell. TSPP was used in this experiment to act as dopant for the electropolymerization of polypyrrole and to functionalize single walled carbon nanotubes. The molecular geometry of the porphyrin, its four planar rings, makes the bonding between SWCNT and the porphyrin possible through π-interactions. Single walled carbon nanotubes are known for their high electrical conductivity. The carbon nanotubes were used to facilitate voltage transfer through the polypyrrole film. Polypyrrole was electrochemically polymerized with the TSPP functionalized SWCNT as the dopant. The morphology of phorphyrin doped polypyrrole and TSPP + SWCNT doped polypyrrole were studied with SEM. The photocurrents of the two films were compared with a polypyrrole doped with a common dopant, sodium chloride.