Fabrication of high performance Pt/Ti counter electrodes on Ti mesh for flexible large-area dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

High performance and homogeneous platinum (Pt) nanoparticles is electrodeposited onto titanium (Ti) mesh to form counter electrodes for use in large-area flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The obtained Pt/Ti counter electrode shows high electrocatalytic activity for the I 3 −/I − redox reaction, low charge transfer resistance (49.57 Ω cm 2 with an area of 80 cm 2) and good light transmittance (92.31%). Based on the counter electrode, a light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of 6.13% is achieved for a flexible DSSC with an area of 80 cm 2, and a maximum power output of 0.443 W is reached for a flexible DSSC with an area of 160 cm 2, under an outdoors natural light irradiation with an intensity of 55 mW cm −2. The present findings should accelerate the practical application of flexible DSSCs.