Synthesis and characterization of carbon based counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using organic precursor 2-2′Bipyridine (Bpy) as a carbon material

Abstract

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted much attention in recent years due to low cost fabrication as compared to silicon-based and thin film solar cells. Carbon materials are alternatives to Pt as a counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells due to their low cost and good catalytic properties. Carbon was derived from carbonization of 2-2′Bipyridine (Bpy) at high temperature. Carbon slurry was prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a surfactant and carbon coating was obtained by doctor blading the slurry over the FTO glass substrate. DSSCs based on carbon showed short circuit current density JSC of 13.10 mAcm−2 which is higher than Pt (11.80 mAcm−2) while power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.24% and fill factor (FF) of 0.61 which is lower than PCE of 5.51% and FF of 0.70 of the cells with platinum (Pt) based counter electrode.