Electrospun microfibrous membranes with atmospheric-pressure plasma surface modification for the application in dye-sensitized solar cells

  • Chun Huang
  • , Pin Jen Lin
  • , Ching Yuan Tsai
  • , Ruey Shin Juang*
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Electrospun poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) microfibrous membrane was modified by cyclonic atmospheric-pressure plasma in this work. The gas-phase temperature of plasma state was <90°C, indicating that this plasma could treat electrospun PVDF-HFP membrane without heat damages. Surface properties of the plasma-modified electrospun PVDF-HFP membranes were examined by the static contact angle (CA) analysis. It was observed that such cyclonic atmospheric-pressure plasma was useful in electrospun PVDF-HFP membrane surface modification; for example, the water CA was reduced from 137 to <30°with only 1 min treatment time. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the changes in surface features of the electrospun PVDF-HFP membrane after plasma treatment. A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) fabricated with the plasma-modified electrospun PVDF-HFP membrane electrolyte revealed good conversion efficiency. This work proved that surface modification of the electrospun PVDF-HFP microfibrous membrane by cyclonic atmospheric-pressure plasma was an innovative method for DSSC applications.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)938-947
Number of pages10
JournalPlasma Processes and Polymers
Volume10
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 11 2013

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
    SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

  • atmospheric pressure glow discharges
  • plasma jet
  • plasma treatment
  • polymer activation
  • surface modification

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