Optical characterization of Agave cantala nanocellulose-reinforced PEDOT:PSS conductive polymer for solar cell devices

The increasing environmental concerns on the production and disposal of solar cell materials have led to a keen interest in exploring biomaterials as a sustainable alternative. In this study, the optical properties of Agave cantala nanocellulose-reinforced PEDOT:PSS (ACN-PPP) composite is explored to assess the possibility of utilization in solar cell devices. The light transmittance (%T) and absorption (A) were analyzed for samples with different ACN and PPP ratios drop-casted onto soda lime glass (SLG) and silicon (Si) substrates. For the samples drop-casted on SLG, 1:4 ACN:PPP ratio showed the best performance, with high transmittance and minimum light absorption in the visible spectrum, making it a strong candidate as a transparent conductive electrode for glass-based solar cell devices. On the other hand, the result of samples on Si substrate were less consistent, which is likely due to the substrate-specific factors and experimental limitations. These observations emphasize the potential of ACN-PPP composites as sustainable, transparent materials for photovoltaic devices, preparing for further research to refine their application.