Flexible photoelectrochemical devices based on conducting polymers

In this work, we have investigated the photoelectrochemical behavior of con jugated polymers in flexible solid-state devices exploring some unique feat ures that they exhibit: the possibility of adjusting the band gap energy by employing different structures and improving the light harvesting by the a ddition of an organic dye. We also report the use of these materials as pho toactive materials and counter-electrodes in optical devices, depending on their oxidized or reduced state. The overall conversion efficiency is highe r than for other photoelectrochemical devices, which exploit the photocondu ctivity and photosensitivity of organic materials, and the performance rema ins constant when the devices are Bent; however, it is low in comparison to solid-state devices using inorganic materials. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S .A. All rights reserved.