Highly efficient MoS2/rGO electrocatalysts for triiodide reduction as Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Developing large-scale and high-efficient electrocatalysts based on earth-abundant element is urgent to promote the development of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). As an attractive approach, ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) could prepare large-scale micro-nano structured catalytic materials, whereas these spheroidal particles usually could not conduct electron well with each other, thus inhibits catalytic activity. Herein we introduce reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to improve the conductivity and catalytic performance of MoS2 synthesized by USP. The MoS2/rGO hybrids combines the abundant active sites of MoS2 and excellent conductivity of rGO, reduces the CE/electrolyte interfacial electron transfer resistance, increases the contact of film with substrate, thus exhibits decreased Rct (1.00 Ω), improved efficiency of 8.53% and enhanced stability. Due to the high yield and good reproducibility of USP method, the large-scale (10 cm × 10 cm) and flexible MoS2/rGO CE shows good consistency of catalytic activity and bending resistance. These results demonstrate that this synthetic approach and introducing of rGO offers a scalable and simple strategy for synthesizing efficient materials in various electrochemical applications.