Highly Conducting Hybrid Silver-Nanowire-Embedded Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Poly(styrenesulfonate) for High-Efficiency Planar Silicon/Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells

Embedding nanowires, such as silver nanowires (AgNWs), in a transparent conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to enhance its conductivity is technologically important for improving the performances of devices comprising transparent conductive layers. Addition of nanowires in the highly conducting form of co-solvent (ethylene glycol) or mixed co-solvent (ethylene glycol and methanol) modified PEDOT:PSS could change the nanowire structure and significantly alter the conductivity. Here we report a simple method to embed AgNWs in PEDOT:PSS efficiently to improve its conductivity. By incorporating nanowires in the mixed co-solvent matrix prior to adding into PEDOT:PSS, this method preserves the structure of the nanowires while enabling conductivity enhancement. In contrast, the addition of AgNWs into co-solvent pre-modified PEDOT:PSS leads to breaking of nanowires and conductivity impediment. The hybrid films with efficiently embedded AgNWs and mixed co-solvent ...