Facile construction of high-electrocatalytic bilayer counter electrode for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

To improve the mechanical rigidity of the electrocatalyst and assure a higher number density of catalytic sites of the counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), we have extended widely applied titanium tetrachloride treatment to construct a rough scaffolding underlayer for the platinized counter electrode. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images clearly depicted the platinum nanoparticles with a diameter of ca. 10 nm homogeneously distributed on the scaffolding underlayer of the bilayer counter electrode and thus led to a characteristically high surface roughness. The electocatalytic activity of this novel bilayer counter electrode was measured and compared with the corresponding properties of conventional sputtered Pt electrode. Interestingly, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry measurements further demonstrated the notably larger electrochemical active surface area and thereby higher electrocatalytic activity of the bilayer counter electrode. Consequently, under standard 1 sun illumination (100 mW cm(-2), AM 1.5), device with this bilayer counter electrode achieved a considerably improved fill factor of 0.67 and overall energy conversion efficiency of 7.09%, which was apparently higher than that of 0.60 and 6.37% for sputterd Pt electrode. Therefore, this present method paves a facile and inexpensive way to prepare high-electrocatalytic bilayer counter electrode in DSCs.     

Electrospun carbon nanofibers as low-cost counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

Electrospun carbon nanofibers (ECNs) have been explored as an electrocatalyst and low-cost alternative to platinum (Pt) for triiodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry measurements indicated that the ECN counter electrodes exhibited low charge-transfer resistance (Rct), large capacitance (C), and fast reaction rates for triiodide reduction. Although the efficiency (η) of ECN-based cells was slightly lower than that of Pt-based cells, their short circuit current density (Jsc) and open circuit voltage (Voc) were comparable. The ECN-based cells achieved an energy conversion efficiency (η) of 5.5 % under the AM 1.5 illumination at 100 mW cm(-2). The reason for lower cell performance using the ECN electrode was because of its lower fill factor (FF) than that of Pt-based cells, probably caused by high total series resistance (RStot) at ～15.5 Ω cm2, which was larger than that of ～4.8 Ω cm2 in the Pt-based devices. Simulated results showed that the fill factor (FF) and η could be substantially improved by decreasing RStot, which might be achieved by using thinner and highly porous ECNs to reduce the thickness of the ECNs counter electrode.     

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a new counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

Airbrushed multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) networks were investigated as a new counter electrode for dye-sensitized TiO2 photoelectrochemical solar cells. The structural and physical properties of the MWNTs were studied by various techniques including SEM, TEM, Raman, optical absorption, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The MWNTs exhibited catalytic activity for the reduction of triiodide in the electrolyte as studied by EIS measurements. The performance of the dye-sensitized solar cells was improved by using MWNTs as counter electrodes. This observation is explained by the significantly increased contact area between the MWNT counter electrode and the electrolyte which facilitates efficient charge transportation in the solar cell. We demonstrated that the MWNTs are suitable for replacing expensive Pt electrodes for fabricating high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells. The process used in this study is also technically attractive for large scale and economic production.     

Sub-micrometer-sized graphite as a conducting and catalytic counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

Sub-micrometer-sized colloidal graphite (CG) was tested as a conducting electrode to replace transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrodes and as a catalytic material to replace platinum (Pt) for I(3)(-) reduction in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). CG paste was used to make a film via the doctor-blade process. The 9 μm thick CG film showed a lower resistivity (7 Ω/?) than the widely used fluorine-doped tin oxide TCO (8-15 Ω/?). The catalytic activity of this graphite film was measured and compared with the corresponding properties of Pt. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies clearly showed a decrease in the charge transfer resistance with the increase in the thickness of the graphite layer from 3 to 9 μm. Under 1 sun illumination (100 mW cm(-2), AM 1.5), DSSCs with submicrometer-sized graphite as a catalyst on fluorine-doped tin oxide TCO showed an energy conversion efficiency greater than 6.0%, comparable to the conversion efficiency of Pt. DSSCs with a graphite counter electrode (CE) on TCO-free bare glass showed an energy conversion efficiency greater than 5.0%, which demonstrated that the graphite layer could be used both as a conducting layer and as a catalytic layer.     

A novel carbon-based nanocomposite plate as a counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

This study develops cost effective and high performance composite conductive plates for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Composite plates with various graphite contents at a constant carbon nanotube (CNT) loading were prepared by bulk molding compound (BMC) process. Results show that the bulk electrical resistance of the composite plate gradually decreases from 6.7 mΩ cm to 1.7 mΩ cm as the graphite content increases, which is due to the formation of efficient electronic conducting networks. For DSSCs, the composite plates may be suitable substitutes for the conductive glass plates in the counter electrodes substrates of DSSCs. Results reveal that composite plates at the optimum level (80 wt.% graphite loading) provide lower cell resistance, lower preparation cost and higher cell performance than common conductive glass plates. Therefore, in order to decrease the cost of the cells and to maintain good cell performance, this graphite-like composite plate prepared by the BMC process is a promising substitute component for DSSCs.     

表面活性剂改性的大孔径介孔炭对电极染料敏化太阳电池(英文)

以大孔径的介孔炭(MC)为催化层材料经低温热处理构建出炭对电极,着重探讨了在炭浆料中添加Triton X100对其组装的染料敏化太阳电池(DSCs)光电性能的影响,并引入分形维数(DF)用于定量评估炭膜形貌的差异。结果表明,当炭浆料中Triton X100的含量增加到0.1 mL(相应MC含量为0.6 g)时,DSCs的光电转换效率增加至5.65%,其值比活性炭对电极DSCs高46.5%,且达到Pt对电极DSCs的95.4%。Triton X100改性的介孔炭对电极的高性能归功于高品质的炭膜和介孔炭本身合理的孔结构(如大尺寸孔径和大比表面积等)。相对于未添加Triton X100的纯介孔炭对电极,Triton X100改性的介孔炭对电极具有分布更均匀的炭膜和更小的分形维数,是对电极欧姆串阻减小及相应器件效率改善的一个重要因素。     

Characterizations of tungsten carbide as a non-Pt counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells

Tungsten carbide particles as a counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells are prepared by heating layered tungsten oxides at 700, 800, and 900 °C. In particular, the sample heated at 800 °C reveals dominant WC structure and relatively high specific surface area. The improved photoelectrochemical properties of the sample prepared at 800 °C may be due to both catalytic activity of WC phase and high active sites for iodide reduction in comparison with other electrodes.     

Carbon nanotube/graphene nanocomposite as efficient counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

We demonstrated the replacement of the Pt catalyst normally used in the counter electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) by a nanocomposite of dry spun carbon multi-walled nanotube (MWNT) sheets with graphene flakes (Gr-F). The effectiveness of this counter electrode on the reduction of the triiodide in the iodide/triiodide redox (I(-)/I(3)(-)) redox reaction was studied in parallel with the use of the dry spun carbon MWNT sheets alone and graphene flakes used independent of each other. This nanocomposite deposited onto fluorinated tin-oxide-coated glass showed improved catalytic behavior and power conversion efficiency (7.55%) beyond the use of the MWNTs alone (6.62%) or graphene alone (4.65%) for the triiodide reduction reaction in DSSC. We also compare the use of the carbon MWNT/Gr-F composite counter electrode with a DSSC using the standard Pt counter electrode (8.8%). The details of increased performance of graphene/MWNT composite electrodes as studied are discussed in terms of increased catalytic activity permitted by sharp atomic edges that arise from the structure of graphene flakes or the defect sites in the carbon MWNT and increased electrical conductivity between the carbon MWNT bundles by the graphene flakes.     

Highly conductive polymer materials based multi-walled carbon nanotubes as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxxythiophene) (PEDOT), polyaniline (PANI) and polythiophene (PTh) based multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites were successfully prepared using RF-rotating plasma grafting method. Morphological characterizations of composites were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that conducting polymers (CPs) of PEDOT, PANI and PTh were coated on the surface of CNTs. The surface properties of the Carbon Nanotube (CNT) composites were also determined by using Infrared Spectra (FT-IR), X-ray Photon Spectra (XPS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectra (SEM-EDX) analysis. X-ray photon spectra results confirmed the formation of the composites. Composites of MWCNT were used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as counter electrodes and exhibited short-circuit photocurrent densities of 11.19, 10.70 and 8.54 mA/cm² for PANI/MWCNT, PTh/MWCNT and PEDOT/CNT, respectively.     

磁控溅射制备染料敏化太阳能电池氮掺杂碳膜对电极

采用双极脉冲磁控溅射法制备氮掺杂碳膜并作为对电极应用在染料敏化太阳能电池(DSSC)中。研究了氮掺杂对碳膜的结构与性能的影响。用X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对氮掺杂碳膜进行薄膜表面元素分析,用四探针测试仪对氮掺杂碳膜的方块电阻进行测试,用扫描电镜对氮掺杂碳膜表面形貌进行分析。组装电池,用太阳光模拟器测试电池的光电转化率。研究结果表明,经过氮掺杂的碳膜,表面形貌致密,当N2的体积分数为30%时,薄膜中N元素含量为15.21%,薄膜的方块电阻为9.4Ω/□,电池的光电转化率为1.16%。     

Fabrication of platinum nanoparticle counter electrode for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells by controlled thermal reduction time

We report the effect of the thermal reduction time during sintering on the electrocatalytic activity and the morphology of platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) fabricated using thermal decomposition method. A uniform and dense distribution of Pt-NPs on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrate was achieved by controlling the thermal reduction time higher than 15 min and this morphology of Pt-NPs was responded for high electrocatalytic performance of counter electrode (CE). As expected, the excellent electrocatalytic activity with low charge-transfer resistance of 1.04 Ω cm² and highly conductivity of Pt-NPs CE prepared at the thermal reduction time of 15 min during sintering was obtained, which was desirable for dye-sensitized solar cells. The energy conversion efficiency of 9.43 % was obtained for the thermal reduction time of 15 min with fill factor of 63.05 %, J _sc of 18.82 mA cm^?2 and V _oc of 795 mV.     

染料敏化太阳能电池柔性对电极的研究进展

从柔性基体的选择,高聚物基底铂对电极的低温制备方法,金属基底铂对电极以及其它催化材料柔性对电极等几个方面介绍了染料敏化太阳能电池柔性对电极的研究现状,重点评述了高聚物基底铂对电极的低温制备技术,如磁控溅射真空镀铂、化学镀铂、电化学镀铂、雕版印刷、旋转涂布等,并就柔性对电极的未来发展方向进行了展望.     

Novel counter electrodes based on NiP-plated glass and Ti plate substrate for dye-sensitized solar cells

Novel counter electrodes based on NiP-plated glass and Ti plate substrate were prepared by thermal decomposition of H₂PtCl₆. Their properties and application in dye-sensitized solar cells were investigated. Platinized Ti plate electrode (Pt/TP electrode) and platinized NiP-plated glass electrode (Pt/NiP electrode) exhibited the same electrochemical activity for triiodide reduction as platinized fluorine-dope tin oxide (FTO) conducting glass electrode (Pt/FTO electrode). However, Pt/NiP electrode and Pt/TP electrode have the advantage over the Pt/FTO electrode in increasing the light reflectance and reducing the sheet resistance, which resulted to improve the light harvest efficiency and the fill factor of the dye-sensitized solar cells effectively. Examination of the anodic dissolution indicated the good stability of the Pt/NiP electrode and Pt/TP electrode in the electrolyte containing iodide/triiodide.     

Hydrothermal synthesis of graphene flake embedded nanosheet-like molybdenum sulfide hybrids as counter electrode catalysts for dye-sensitized solar cells

In this study, graphene flake (GF) was successfully embedded into a nanosheet-like molybdenum sulfide (MoS₂) matrix via an in situ hydrothermal route, and the resultant hybrid was employed as a counter electrode (CE) for Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). It is confirmed from scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy that GFs are successfully incorporated in the nanosheet-like MoS₂ matrix and thus result in its surface evolution. The extensive electrochemical analyses reveal that the remarkably enhanced electrocatalytic activity can be demonstrated when GFs are incorporated in the MoS₂ matrix. After the optimization, the nanosheet-like MoS₂/GF hybrid with 1.5 wt.% GF shows the best electrocatalytic activity. The DSC assembled with the novel nanosheet-like MoS₂/GF hybrid CE exhibits a high photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 6.07% under standard illumination, up to 95% of the level obtained using conventional Pt CE (6.41%).     

染料敏化太阳电池新型介孔碳对电极的制备及性能研究

以三嵌段共聚物F127为模板剂制备介孔碳,并用N2吸附和透射电子显微镜对介孔碳样品进行分析.所制备介孔碳材料的孔呈无序蠕虫状,平均孔径为6.8nm,比表面积为400m2/g.用介孔碳作为I(-)/I(-)3氧化还原反应的催化剂制备染料敏化太阳电池对电极,用电化学阻抗谱对介孔碳电极的催化活性进行了分析.介孔碳电极对I(-...     

The applicability of SWCNT on the counter electrode for the dye-sensitized solar cell

In this study, two types of the counter electrode were designed and fabricated for the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC): (1) one had a layer of SWCNT/Ag on the FTO-glass (Fluorine doped tin oxide, SnO₂:F) substrate; (2) the other had a layer Ag sandwiched between a layer of SWCNT and the FTO-glass substrate. This study also examined the effects of the mass ratio of SWCNT to Ag-paste, the surfactant (such as TOAB), the type of FTO-glass substrate, and the sintering temperature of preparing the counter electrode on the short-circuit photocurrent and the open-circuit photovoltage of the DSSC. At a fixed sintering temperature of 150 °C and a fixed FTO-glass substrate of 8 Ω/sq, this film of SWCNT markedly increased the short-circuit photocurrent from 227.3 μA (conventional DSSC without a layer of SWCNT) to 1033.5 μA (DSSC with a layer of SWCNT/Ag). Most importantly, at a fixed FTO-glass substrate of 8 Ω/sq, this study shows that the short-circuit photocurrent of the DSSC with a layer Ag sandwiched between a layer of SWCNT and the FTO-glass substrate of the counter electrode (2565 μA) substantially exceeds that of DSSC with a thin film of platinum on the FTO-glass substrate of the counter electrode (1263.7 μA).