Counter Electrode Materials For Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Research Articles

A Bi2Te3 topological insulator/carbon nanotubes hybrid composites as a new counter electrode material for DSSC and NIR photodetector application

Two-dimensional layered bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), a prominent topological insulator, has garnered global scientific attention for its unique properties and potential applications in optoelectronics and electrochemical devices. Notably, there is a growing emphasis on improving photon-to-electron conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), prompting the exploration of alternatives to noble metal catalysts like platinum (Pt). This study presents the synthesis of Bi2Te3 and its hybrid nanostructure with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) via a straightforward hydrothermal process. The research unveils a novel application for the Bi2Te3-SWCNT hybrid structure, serving as a counter electrode in platinum-free DSSCs, facilitating the conversion of triiodide (I3−) to iodide (I−) and functioning as an active electrode material in a photodetector (n-Bi2Te3-SWCNT/p-Si).The resulting DSSC employing the Bi2Te3-SWCNT hybrid counter electrode achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.2 %, a photocurrent density of 10.5 mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 62 %, and superior charge transfer kinetics compared to pristine Bi2Te3-based counter electrodes (PCE 2.1 %, FF 34 %). Additionally, a spin coating technique enhances the performance of the n-Bi2Te3-SWCNT/p-Si photodetector, yielding a responsivity of 2.2 AW−1, detectivity of 1.2 × 10−3, and enhanced external quantum efficiency. These findings demonstrate that the newly developed Bi2Te3-SWCNT heterostructure enhances interfacial charge transport, electrocatalytic performance in DSSCs, and overall photodetector performance.

Multifunctional Structure-Modified Quaternary Compounds Co9Se8-CuSe2-WSe2 Mixed with MWCNT as a Counter Electrode Material for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

In this study, a trimetallic selenide material with a hollow spherical structure (Co9Se8-CuSe2-WSe2) was synthesized through two consecutive solvothermal reactions. The synergistic effect between the quaternary elements, the benefits of the selenization of metals, and the unique morphology led to the prominent electrocatalytic ability of Co9Se8-CuSe2-WSe2 hollow spheres. Co9Se8-CuSe2-WSe2 hollow spheres were then mixed with oxygen plasma-treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as counter electrode (CE) material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), achieving a photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of 9.23% under one sun condition (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm-2), surpassing the 8.08% of devices with platinum counter electrodes (PtCEs). For indoor conditions, a T5 light source was applied to the DSSCs with Co9Se8-CuSe2-WSe2 + MWCNT CE, and the efficiency increased to 14.14% under 3600 lx irradiance. Finally, Co9Se8-CuSe2-WSe2 + MWCNT CE demonstrated good stability with 92.23% retention after 1000 cycles of cyclic voltammetry, exceeding the 82.49% of PtCE. Therefore, Co9Se8-CuSe2-WSe2 + MWCNT shows potential as a substitute for platinum as CE material for DSSCs.

Highly efficient nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide-Sr0.7Sm0.3Fe0.4Co0.6O2.65 nanocomposites utilized as a counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are known for their aesthetic properties, not limited to colour tuneability and transparency, but are also promising renewable energy technology that can efficiently harvest sunlight to generate electricity without releasing toxic gases. DSSCs are one of the potential candidates for fabricating colourful and see-through solar cells for energy-harvesting aesthetic windows. However, a trade-off between transparency and power conversion efficiency (PCE) has to be tackled amicably to realize solar cells with good PCE and transparency. Judicious selection of dyes to bypass light absorption in the high eye-sensitivity region (500 – 600 nm) is one of the plausible solutions. Most importantly, developing novel counter electrode materials using facile preparation techniques, low-cost materials, and environmentally friendly conditions helps overcome the limitations of commonly used but expensive and corroding metals, thereby improving the PCE of DSSCs. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel hybrid nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide-Sr0.7Sm0.3Fe0.4Co0.6O2.65 (N-RGO-SSFC) nanocomposite using the thermal treatment method. The N-RGO-SSFC nanocomposites were characterized using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques and applied as counter electrodes in DSSCs. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the presence of N-RGO sheets decorated by SSFC nanoparticles. The introduction of SSFC nanoparticles onto N-RGO sheets led to the formation of nanocomposites with a tetragonal structure, a surface area of 178.0 m2 g-1, an electrical conductivity of 13.02 S cm-1, and a charge transfer resistance of 10.6 Ω. The N-RGO-SSFC nanocomposite counter electrodes resulted in DSSCs with an enhanced PCE of 6.64% due to the formation of excellent electron transfer pathways. This outperformed DSSCs based on the Pt reference electrode with a PCE of 5.52%. Hence, N-RGO-SSFC nanocomposites can be applied as a potential counter-electrode material in DSSCs.

Laser-induced graphene as a sustainable counter electrode for DSSC enabling flexible self-powered integrated harvesting and storage device for indoor application

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are gaining a newfound interest thanks to their superior ability to harvest indoor light with efficiency higher than other photovoltaic technologies. This study reports, for the first time, the possibility of using laser-induced graphene (LIG) as a flexible counter electrode material for DSSCs. A flexible LIG (F-LIG) electrode was fabricated by direct laser writing of a polyimide film, without the need of a starting conductive substrate. The prepared electrodes showed a higher catalytic activity towards the reduction of I3−/I−with respect to a more expensive Pt-based counter electrode. Moreover, the F-LIG electrodes outperformed electrodeposited PEDOT as a catalytic material for reduction of a copper bipyridyl complex (Cu(II/I)(tmby)2TFSI2/1) electrolyte. The F-LIG based DSSCs showed an open circuit voltage as high as 0.94 V and an increase in photoconversion efficiency higher than 60% with respect to the PEDOT-based counterpart, stepping from 3.08% to 4.96%. Thanks to the easy one-step laser-based fabrication process, the LIG-based DSSC was integrated with a LIG-based supercapacitor (SC), obtaining a flexible energy harvesting and storage system that was able to self-charge both under simulated solar illumination and under indoor artificial illumination, appearing to be a promising energy source for the next generation of self-powered connected Internet of Things devices.

Preparation of Heteromorphic Ni Decorated Fe‐Containing Carbon Nanofibers as Efficient and Low‐Cost Counter Electrodes for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

AbstractIn the field of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), although Pt is commonly used as counter electrode materials owing to its great electrocatalytic activity and conductivity, the high price and small reserves of Pt limit its large‐scale application. In this paper, heteromorphic Ni decorated Fe‐containing carbon nanofibers (Ni/NiO@Fe‐CNFs) was prepared by a thermal synthesis method, and applied as composite counter electrode materials for DSSCs. It was found that the as‐synthesized Ni/NiO@Fe‐CNFs shows better electrocatalytic activity than that of Fe‐CNFs and CNFs for the reduction reaction of triiodide to iodide. The improved electrocatalytic activity is not only attributed to the introduction of Fe2O3 to form Fe‐CNFs, but also attributed to the heteromorphic Ni decoration and their synergistic effect. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSCs with Ni/NiO@Fe‐CNFs counter electrode is 4.81 %, much higher than that of CNFs (0.62 %) and Fe‐CNFs counter electrode (3.65 %), and comparable to the value of Pt counter electrode (5.10 %). Accordingly, the Ni/NiO@Fe‐CNFs is expected to be a potential counter electrode material to replace Pt.

Fabrication of three-dimentional triarylmethane polymers derivatives as efficient counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Through rational molecular design, two kinds of triarylmethane compounds of tris(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)methane (TDM) and tri(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methane (TPM) are successfully synthesized, and they are further made into counter electrode (CE) by facial chemical polymerization method. The as-prepared three-dimentional (3D) PTDM nanosphere exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance as CE towards triiodide reduction reaction (TRR) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Particularly, the outstanding photovoltaic device prepared with 3D PTDM material realizes a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) as 8.34%, which is better than Pt (7.90%) and PTPM (4.15%). The success of PTDM further reveals that a rational molecular design is crucial for the sustainable development of high efficiency electrocatalytic counter electrode material in DSCs.

Solid‐state Synthesis of Ni Decorated Needle Coke as Low‐cost Pt‐free Counter Electrode for Efficient Dye‐sensitized Solar Cells

AbstractTo seek a Pt‐free carbon material counter electrode for dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the electrocatalytic activity of needle coke (NC) for the reduction of triiodide in DSSCs was investigated, and further improved by decorating with Ni to prepare Ni decorated needle coke (Ni‐NC) via a one‐step solid‐state synthesis method. It is found that the NC is a potential carbon counter electrode material for DSSCs due to its high‐density anisotropy with considerable conductivity. Although the decoration of Ni may sacrifice certain conductivity of NC, the electrocatalytic activity of Ni‐NC towards reduction of triiodide was better than that of NC. To obtain a balanced point of conductivity and electrocatalytic performance for Ni‐NC, the loading amount of Ni together with the solid‐state synthesis conditions were also studied. It is indicated that these parameters also have some effect on the performance of Ni‐NC. Under the optimized conditions, the DSSCs based on Ni‐NC counter electrode achieve an 77 % higher energy conversion efficiency of 4.39 % than that of NC counter electrode (2.48 %), and comparable to the value (5.34 %) obtains with Pt counter electrode. It is an efficient way to improve the performance of NC by decorating with Ni via a facile solid‐state synthesis method, and promote the application of needle coke as carbon counter electrode materials in DSSCs.

MFe2O4(M=Co, Mn)@MG as an Efficient Counter Electrode for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are considered as low-cost and eco-friendly alternatives for conventional silicon solar cells. Dye-sensitized metal oxide photoelectrode, electrolyte and counter electrode (CE) are the three major components of a DSSC. An ideal CE material should have superior electrocatalytic activity and distinguished conductivity, excellent chemical stability, and low cost. Noble metal Pt CE has an efficient capacity for collecting electrons from external circuits and facilitating the catalytic reduction of I3 - to I-. However, its high cost seriously restricts mass production and commercialization of DSSCs. Therefore, carbon composite materials, inorganic compounds, conducting polymers and their derivatives have been widely explored as CEs in DSSCs.Recently, multiple transition metals and their derivative have been investigated as the CE materials for DSSCs. Theoretically, binary or ternary transition metals display intrinsic electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of I3 - with rapid charge-transfer ability and cost-effectiveness. Thus, transition-metal ferric acid MFe2O4 (M=Mn, Co) composited with modified graphene (MG) is a novel strategy to achieve an advanced CE material with remarkable electrochemical performance. As we all know, graphene microstructure has a lamellar structure. Through a process of catalytic reduction, a curly structure modified graphene not only displays a large specific surface area to facilitate charge transfer and promote catalytic performance during photoelectric conversion, but also the conjugated structure with continuous sp2 hybridized carbon centers can induce electronic mobility.Ferrite is a unique hierarchical nanostructure material mainly composed of transition metal (i.e., Co, Mn, Ni), iron (Fe), and oxygen (O). Transition-metal ions M2+ (M2+ =Mn2+, Co2+) have excellent electrocatalytic capability, and active Fe atoms can synergize with carbon atoms in graphene to significantly improve catalytic activity. This work offers a strategy to apply MFe2O4(M=Mn, Co)@MG composite as the CE of DSSCs to optimize catalytic sites and improve catalytic performance. The device based on the CoFe2O4@MG CE achieves a PCE of 7.78%, and the device based on MnFe2O4@MG CE has a PCE of 5.55%. Moreover, the device was prepared by a simple process with an excellent stability in the air atmosphere without encapsulation (maintaining 93.3% of an initial PCE after 30 days), which can facilitate large-scale production in the future.

Heterogeneous FeNi3/NiFe2O4 nanoparticles with modified graphene as electrocatalysts for high performance dye-sensitized solar cells

The development of low cost electrocatalysts with excellent I−/I3− redox reaction efficiency is critically important for practical applications of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Nevertheless, it is difficult to simultaneously improve the activity and stability of catalysts. Herein, heterogeneous FeNi3/NiFe2O4 nanoparticles are successfully embedded in modified graphene (mGr) matrix with network structure. As-prepared FeNi3/NiFe2O4@mGr shows excellent electrocatalytic activities and high stability. The DSSCs with FeNi3/NiFe2O4@mGr as counter electrodes demonstrate a high power conversion efficiency of 12.14%, which is superior to that of platinum (Pt, 8.31%). Also, the FeNi3/NiFe2O4@mGr device remains 90% efficiency up to 42 days under ambient conditions without encapsulation. Therefore, the FeNi3/NiFe2O4@mGr composite can be further developed as an environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and efficient counter electrode material for DSSCs.

Screen printed Sri Lankan vein graphite/polyaniline composite counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), described as one of the most prominent third generation solar cells, stand out in the photovoltaic category. In general, DSSCs consist of a large band gap n-type semiconductor electrode (photoanode), a sensitizer (dye), a redox electrolyte, and a counter electrode (CE). A platinized glass substrate is commonly used as the CE which acts as a catalyst for the redox reaction taking place in the cell. Further, it collects electrons from the external load and sends them to the electrolyte. Although Pt has several advantages characteristics, Pt free CE materials have drawn the attention of researchers because Pt is an extremely expensive and diminishing noble metal. According to various researches, carbonaceous materials are promising alternatives for the Pt CE. In this study we report the use of Sri Lankan vein graphite/polyaniline (SLVG/PANI) composite as the counter electrode material for DSSCs. Sri Lankan vein graphite (SLVG) is highly crystalline and is a potential low cost alternative to expensive Pt. Polyaniline was prepared by oxidative polymerization of aniline with potassium peroxydisulfate. SLVG/PANI composites were screen printed on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as the binder. The performance of the new counter electrode was studied by analyzing the I-V characteristics of the DSSCs and the highest efficiency of 5.0% was recorded. DSSCs with new counter electrodes were further characterized using powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared studies.

Hierarchical MoSe2 nanoflowers used as highly efficient electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

In order to seek a cost-effective and facile approach to synthesize counter electrode (CE) material used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), MoSe2 nanoflowers (300 ∼ 400 nm) with nanosphere hierarchical architecture were prepared successfully via a facile and economical hydrothermal method. The systematical electrochemical measurements including EIS, CV and Tafel polarization experiments illustrated that MoSe2 nanoflowers exhibited superior electrocatalytic property. The excellent electrocatalytic performance could be due to abundant active sites, stable chemical property, enhanced exchange current density (J0) and decreased charge-transfer resistance (Rct) of the fabricated MoSe2 nanoflowers. In addition, the DSSCs assembled by MoSe2 CE achieved more remarkable photovoltaic performance (PCE = 7.01%) for I3− reduction than standard Pt CE (PCE = 6.38%), suggesting that MoSe2 nanoflowers could be a promising alternative for CE material in DSSCs.

Ambient air synthesis of multi-layer CVD graphene films for low-cost, efficient counter electrode material in dye-sensitized solar cells

Graphene holds great promise as a substitute counter electrode (CE) material to replace the conventional Pt in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). However, lengthy chemical processing with hazardous chemicals, high production cost and the poor quality of the graphene flakes produced impedes their utilization as a CE material in DSSCs. Herein, we demonstrate a low-cost synthesis of multi-layer graphene films using a thermal chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process in an ambient-air environment without expensive compressed gases while using a renewable source namely soybean oil. Utilization of our low-cost graphene film in DSSCs exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and high electrical conductivity, and thus delivers superior photovoltaic (PV) efficiency compared to the devices fabricated with graphene films produced from commonly adopted chemical methods. Even though no additional treatments such as heteroatom doping are applied, our low-cost graphene showed great promise in DSSCs. Further enhancement in the efficiency of our multi-layer graphene film based DSSCs is readily achievable by applying simple functional treatments (for example SOCl2). Finally, material cost analysis of our multi-layer graphene film compared to commercial Pt electrode suggests that we can reduce the CE material cost by five fold, making our CVD graphene film a realistic option for application in commercial DSSC systems.

Ternary composites of Ni-polyaniline-graphene as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), different in principle from the conventional solar cells based on p–n junctions, are competitively cost-effective. For development of this kind of emerging solar cell, it is very significant to reduce their cost and improve their energy conversion efficiency to the maximum extent. In this article, ternary composites (Ni–PANI–G composites) consisting of nickel nanoparticles, polyaniline (PANI), and graphene (G) were prepared for the first time and used as counter electrodes to replace the noble metal Pt in DSSCs. In the case of PANI, the introduction of Ni nanoparticles can improve the electrocatalytic ability for the reduction of triiodide ions in the counter electrode, while in the meantime, the addition of graphene in the Ni–PANI–G composites can increase the electrical conductivity of the counter electrode. The optimized DSSCs fabricated by using the Ni–PANI–G composites as the counter electrode exhibit an overall power conversion efficiency of 5.80% compared to 5.30% for reference platinum (Pt) counter-electrodes. Electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) show that the charge-transfer resistance at the interface between electrolyte and counter-electrode in the case of the ternary composite is obviously decreased. These results are significant to develop low-cost counter electrode materials for DSSCs.

High Catalytic Activity of W18 O49 Nanowire-Reduced Graphite Oxide Composite Counter Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

The W18O49 nanowire (NW)-reduced graphite oxide (W18O49-rGO) nanocomposite was prepared by a facile solvothermal reaction. The W18O49 NWs were stably dispersed on the surface of rGO, and the content of W18O49 NWs in the composite can be tailored by controlling the mass ratio of reactants (WCl6 and graphite oxide). Employing the W18O49-rGO nanocomposite with the proper W18O49 NW content of 33% as a counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), it gets a photoelectrical conversion efficiency (η) of 7.23%, which is close to that of Pt-based DSSC (7.39%). The high efficiency of DSSCs based on W18O49-rGO counter electrode is contributed to the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of W18O49 NWs and excellent electron-transfer characteristics of rGO. The first-principles calculations have been first employed to investigate the adsorption energy between I3− molecule and W18O49 NW to explain its good catalytic activity. The cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS), and Tafel polarization tests can further identify that the W18O49-rGO counter electrode has high electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of I3− and low interface charge transfer impedance. It is believed that the W18O49-rGO nanocomposite can be used as a promising counter electrode material for DSSCs.

V2O5 as an inexpensive counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells

In pursuit of an abundant, inexpensive and stable counter electrode as an alternative to platinum for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), we report a new, low-cost substitute material. Here for the first time, we demonstrate that V2O5 can be used as a counter electrode material in DSSCs. We note that the efficiency of DSSCs with commercial V2O5 and hydrothermal treated V2O5 are upto 1.2% and 1.6%, respectively. The results indicate that, with optimization, V2O5 can be a promising choice to replace platinum from a cost perspective. The innovation of new economical counter electrodes offers a potential way to cut down the industrial costs which is crucial for large-scale production and commercial applications of DSSCs.

A high performance cobalt sulfide counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

A cobalt sulfide (CoS) thin film is deposited on fluorine doped SnO2 (FTO) glass by repetitive electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and ion exchange deposition (IED), then the thin film is treated with sodium borohydride or/and sulfuric acid solution. The film is used as the counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), and is characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel measurements. The results show that the CoS counter electrode has a honeycomb-like morphology with large specific surface area, good catalytic activity for reduction of I3−, lower charge-transfer and series resistances, which result in the better electrochemical property of CoS counter electrodes. Under a simulated solar light irradiation of 100mWcm−2, the DSSC based on the CoS counter electrode achieves a power conversion efficiency of 7.72%, thus, synthesized CoS can serve as an efficient Pt-free counter electrode material for DSSCs.

Carbon black-derived graphene quantum dots composited with carbon aerogel as a highly efficient and stable reduction catalyst for the iodide/tri-iodide couple.

A microwave-assisted oxidative cleavage process is developed to prepare graphene quantum dots (GQDs) from carbon black. The size evolution of the resulting carbonaceous products is studied. In one hour, GQDs of a size less than 10 nm and thickness less than 2 nm are obtained. These GQDs are further composited with mesoporous carbon aerogels (CA) by a filtration process to form GQD-decorated CA composites (GQD/CA). The GQD/CA composite is applied as a catalyst electrode for the reduction of I3(-) to I(-), a critical electrolyte regeneration reaction in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Also investigated are Pt electrodes, the expensive traditional counter electrode material for DSSCs, and plain CA electrodes for comparison. Based on data derived from cyclic voltammograms and Tafel plots, the GQD/CA composite exhibits catalytic efficiencies comparable to that of Pt electrodes and better than that of plain CA electrodes. The GQD/CA electrodes, however, surpass the Pt electrodes in terms of long-term stability. The cathodic current drops significantly after 500 cycles for the Pt and plain CA electrodes, whereas the cathodic current is slightly increased for the GQD/CA electrodes. The GQD/CA composite thus proves to be an inexpensive, efficient, and stable alternative to Pt as the counter electrode material for DSSCs.

Polypyrrole-cobalt-carbon nanocomposites as efficient counter electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells

In this work, we demonstrate a new kind of Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Polypyrrole-cobalt-carbon (PPY-Co-C) nanocomposites, with the advantages of low cost and simple preparation, show favorable catalytic activity in promoting tri-iodide reduction. The DSC composed of the PPY-Co-C nanocomposite electrode exhibits an acceptable energy conversion efficiency of 6.01%, a considerable short-circuit photocurrent of 15.33 mA cm−2, and a low charge-transfer resistance of 1.5 Ω cm2. The overall performance of PPY-Co-C is superior to the carbon counterparts and comparable with the platinum reference, rendering them efficient and promising counter electrode materials for DSCs.

Metal sulfide counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: A balanced strategy for optical transparency and electrochemical activity

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have obtained exciting progress in improving energy conversion efficiency and cutting material cost in recent years. It is found that many kinds of inorganic compounds have promising potential to replace platinum as counter electrode materials for DSSCs. Actually, to a thin film electrode, preparation of the thin film is the same important as choice of active materials, because quality of the films has a direct effect on electrochemical and optical performance of the final counter electrodes. In this paper, a general strategy is developed to prepare transparent and high-efficient metal sulfide counter electrodes. In the route, the Group VIIIB metal sulfides are formed as compact, homogenous and stable films on fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive glass from a precursor organic solution by spin coating, and the film thickness can be readily converted to reach the balance between optical transparency and electrochemical activity. Among the Group VIIIB metal sulfides, the nickel sulfide film with the thickness of 100 nm shows the high transparency and energy conversion efficiency of 7.37%, higher than that of the DSSC using platinum electrode. The results provide a new and facile alternative to prepare high-efficient and transparent sulfide counter electrodes for DSSCs.

Research Progress on Transition Metal Compound Used as Highly Efficient Counter Electrode of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells(DSC) has been considered as one of the most promising alternatives to conventional photovoltaic device due to its low cost, simple fabrication process and high conversion efficiency. Pt-loaded conducting substrate has been widely exploited as the standard counter electrode for DSC. However, Pt is expensive and rare,so it is most desirable to seek a low-cost substitute for Pt in counter electrode of DSC. Transition metal compound has been demonstrated to be one of the most promising counter electrode materials for DSCs owing to its low cost, simple fabrication, broad variety of materials and good catalytic activity. This article provides a review of transition metal compound counter electrodes for DSC and a brief outlook on the future development of transition metal compound counter electrodes.