α-Fe2O3 hollow meso-microspheres grown on graphene sheets function as a promising counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Abstract

Although nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanosheets of α-Fe2O3 on graphene sheets have been synthesized, it remains a challenge to grow 3D α-Fe2O3 nanomaterials with more sophisticated compositions and structures on the graphene sheets. Herein, we demonstrate a facile solvothermal route under controlled conditions to successfully fabricate 3D α-Fe2O3 hollow meso–microspheres on the graphene sheets (α-Fe2O3/RGO HMM). Attributed to the combination of the catalytic features of α-Fe2O3 hollow meso–microspheres and the high conductivity of graphene, α-Fe2O3/RGO HMM exhibited promising electrocatalytic performance as a counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSCs fabricated with α-Fe2O3 HMM displayed high power conversion efficiency of 7.28%, which is comparable with that of Pt (7.71%).