High Current Charge Research Articles

Charging Optimization of Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on Charge Transfer Limitation and Mass Transport Limitation

Fast charging of lithium-ion batteries is essential to alleviate range anxiety and accelerate the commercialization of electric vehicles. However, high charging currents seriously deteriorate battery life due to the danger of metallic lithium deposition on the anode and the accompanying degradation reactions. In this work, a reduced-order electrochemical-thermal coupled model with typical side reactions is applied to capture the dependent variables related to the behavior of lithium plating. To completely suppress lithium plating, two novel charging algorithms are designed based on the constraints of the minimum lithium plating overpotential in the anode and the maximum surface concentration at the anode/separator interface, respectively. The definitions of the sensitive parameters in the two algorithms are weighed, and the current rates of 0 to 100% state of charge at different temperatures are optimized. Then, the fast charging strategies under the specific temperatures are optimized according to the sequence of preventing the minimum lithium plating overpotential, saturated surface concentration and cut-off voltage from exceeding the preset values. Finally, the proposed charging strategies and the conventional charging protocols are performed in cyclic aging tests at different temperatures, which verified that the proposed charging strategies can significantly shorten the charging time and delay battery aging.

Comprehensive Degradation Analysis of NCA Li-Ion Batteries via Methods of Electrochemical Characterisation for Various Stress-Inducing Scenarios

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries with Ni-based cathodes are leading storage technology in the fields of electric vehicles and power-grid applications. NCA (LiNiCoAlO2) batteries are known for their troublesome degradation tendencies, and this susceptibility to degradation raises questions regarding the safety of their usage. Hence, it is of vital importance to analyse the degradation of NCA batteries via methods which are applicable to onboard systems, so that the changes in the battery’s state of health can be addressed accordingly. For this purpose, it is crucial to study batteries stressed by various conditions which might induce degradation of different origins or magnitudes. Methods such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT), and incremental capacity analysis (ICA) have been used in battery research for years, however, there is a lack of published studies which would analyse the degradation of NCA batteries by simultaneous usage of these methods, which is essential for a comprehensive and confirmatory understanding of battery degradation. This study intends to fill this research gap by analysing the degradation of NCA batteries via simultaneous usage of EIS, GITT, and ICA methods for common stress-inducing operating conditions (over-charge, over-discharge, and high-current charging).

Design and Performance Analysis of Ultra-Wide Bandgap Power Devices-Based EV Fast Charger Using Bi-Directional Power Converters

A widespread introduction of electric vehicles would require an advanced enriched fast-charging infrastructure and battery technology. Currently used silicon (Si) based power electronic devices limit their efficiencies, power density, and switching frequency. Designing fast-charging stations using these materials is not suitable due to low breakdown potential, less thermal stability, and less power handling abilities. The research will propose an off-board DC high-power density fast charging infrastructure with grid tie application. The EV station is designed by using ultra-wideband gap (UWBG) material-based power electronic devices to charge the EV vehicles in a few minutes up to an acceptable state of charge. The study will analyze the characteristics of Gallium III oxide (Ga <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> ) material power devices by modeling them using SPICE and TCAD software tools. The research presents the Simscape physical modeling of electric vehicle chargers based on Ga <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> power devices. Design analysis of three-phase bidirectional AC/DC converter and DC/DC isolated full bridge converter is present in this paper. Research implements the unity power factor control to improve the power quality requirements of the power grid. The dual active power control of converters provides a wide range of charging power for a variety of EV batteries. The study will provide high current and reliable rapid charging for currently available and upcoming future electric vehicles.

Single‐phase common ground type 5L inverter with reduced capacitor voltage stress for photovoltaic applications

AbstractIn recent years, common ground (CG)‐type transformerless (TL) inverters have been paid more attention. However, the existing topologies have more voltage stress on either switch or on capacitor voltage or in both. This article proposes a novel five‐level TL inverter topology with a CG type and a voltage stress reduction on power components. The proposed topology offers less component count and a simple structure. Here, the quasi‐soft charging (QSC) technique is proposed to minimize the high charging current during the capacitor charge. Since the proposed topology is the family of switched capacitors (SC), the determination of SC and QSC is presented. A detailed comparison of the proposed topology with other recent five‐level topologies is presented, and the proposed topology's advantage is highlighted. Further, the performance of the proposed topology is verified in simulation software and verified in a scale‐down hardware setup developed for 400 W. The various experimental results are presented to ensure the feasibility of the proposed topology.

Enhanced high-rate cycling performance of LiMn2O4 cathode materials by coating nano-TiO2

Abstract LiMn2O4 has the advantages of low cost and no pollution, and is widely regarded as a large-scale lithium battery cathode material. However, the capacity decays rapidly, which seriously affects the application of LiMn2O4 cathode materials. Therefore, improving the cycling performance of LiMn2O4 is the focus of current research. LiMn2O4 precursors were prepared by chemical precipitation and the precursors were coated to prepare LiMn2O4/TiO2 composites. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy showed that LiMn2O4 had been successfully combined with TiO2. Electrode charge–discharge and electrochemical impedance tests showed that LiMn2O4/TiO2 had the best cycle performance at high rates. The initial discharge capacities of LiMn2O4/TiO2 reached 106.4 mAh·g−1 at 0.2 C. After 100 cycles, the 2 C capacity retention rates was 76.3 %, compared to only 66.5 % for pristine LiMn2O4. The improved electrochemical performance was attributed to the nanoscale oxides hindering the reaction between the electrolyte and the electrode, which effectively improved the stability of the material during high current charge and discharge.

Effect of coating on hydrogen embrittlement of hot stamping 22MnB5 high strength steel during electrochemical charging

This study investigated the effect of Al–Si coating and its service condition on hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of hot-stamped ultra-high strength martensitic steels (22MnB5) through electrochemical hydrogen charging. The HE behaviour of coated and uncoated specimens under different charging conditions was investigated. The deterioration degree of mechanical properties of charged specimens with charging current is monotonous. At low-current charging, the more severe deterioration of coated specimens due to the excess hydrogen which was provided by corroded coatings. Contrary, with high-current charging, the integral coatings provided effective protection and retarded HE behaviour. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscopy revealed a similar transition of fractography, i.e., from ductile (uncharged) to quasi-cleavage (0.001A-2h) and a mixture of quasi-cleavage and intergranular fracture (0.1A-2h). Additionally, the coated tailor rolled blank steel was selected to investigate the effect of coating condition on HE. It revealed that the deformation-induced defects on coatings would impair the resistance to HE. Thus, we demonstrated that the Al–Si coating which effectively alleviate HE, was dependent on its integrality.

Determination of Cycle to Cycle Battery Cell Degradation with High-Precision Measurements

Due to the long life of lithium ion cells, it is difficult to measure their low capacity degradation from cycle to cycle. In order to accelerate the measurements, cells are often exposed to extreme stress conditions, which usually means elevated temperatures and high charging currents. This raises doubts as to whether the results obtained in this way are representative for real world applications. This work shows that, with the help of very precise capacity measurements, it is possible to determine cell aging in a few days even under normal operating conditions from cycle to cycle. To verify this, a self-built measurement system is used. After demonstrating the capabilities of the system, two different cycling schemes are used simultaneously to determine the various causes of aging—namely cycle aging, calendrical aging and self-discharge due to leakage currents.

Preliminary analysis of a novel battery thermal management system based on a low boiling dielectric fluid

In this paper a novel battery thermal management system was experimentally studied. The batteries are submerged in a low boiling dielectric fluid with the aim to reduce the batteries surface temperature when subjected to high charge or discharge currents. The fluid change of phase allows to create a thermal buffer in case of instantaneous peak of absorbed current. This innovative system was studied on a battery pack composed of 3 cells in series and 3 cells in parallel connection for several discharge currents. For the sake of comparison, two battery packs of same dimensions were investigated: one submerged in the dielectric fluid and the second without the fluid. The cells potential and surface temperature were measured during discharges. Moreover, also the fluid temperature was evaluated in the external region. The results show a significant improvement of the thermal management since the increase of temperature is very restricted. This effect is even more evident when the fluid reaches the boiling point.

Modeling and simulation of pure electric vehicle composite power supply

In order to solve the problem of high discharge current, serious heating and low service life of pure electric vehicle with single power battery system driving at high power. Design a top-level model of the composite power supply with battery and ultra-capacitor for pure electric vehicles in the simulation software ADVISOR, propose an energy management control strategy based on logic threshold control theory. Based on MATLAB/Simulink environment, set up a logic threshold limit filtering power shunt module and chose the working condition of NEDC for simulation. The results show that, compared to single battery system, a composite power system embedded in the logic threshold control strategy of filtering thought can distributes the power between the battery and the ultra-capacitor more reasonably, effectively improves the peak output power of the battery, avoiding high current charge and discharge of batteries, extends the life of the battery, and improve the vehicle's power and economy.

Numerical investigation on the polarization and thermal characteristics of LiFePO4-based batteries during charging process

• An electrochemical-thermal couple model is developed for pouch lithium-ion batteries. • Effects of charge rate on polarization and heat generation are numerically studied. • Sudden rises in total polarization are mainly linked to solid-phase diffusion polarization. • Over 85% of the heat in the cell core under 8C charging comes from irreversible heat. • Charge energy efficiency of the cell at different current levels is further analyzed. High-current charging exacerbates internal polarization and abnormal heat generation, stymieing the development of fast-charging technology for lithium-ion batteries. Based on battery disassembly and charge test experiments, an electrochemical-thermal coupling model was developed and validated in this paper. The variation patterns of various polarization and heat generation of pouch-type lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries at different charge rates and their influence mechanisms were investigated numerically. Results indicate that the changes in charge voltage profiles are strongly linked to total cell polarization, and excessive charge current aggravates internal polarization, with the average polarization voltage reaching 109.2 mV at 8C, which is 471.7% higher than at 1C. The polarization in the electrodes dominates the cell polarization, especially at the negative electrode. Activation polarization accounted for the largest share of electrode polarization, the change in polarization profiles in the initial and final stages depended mainly on the solid-phase diffusion polarization. Besides, the large cell temperature difference at high charge currents is attributed to the order of magnitude difference in heat generation rates between the positive tab and the cell core. The cell temperature rise is primarily due to heat production in the cell core, where the proportion of irreversible heat increases nonlinearly with the charge rate, exceeding 85% of the total heat generation at 8C. The charge energy efficiency reduces gradually with increasing charge rate and is only 0.948 at 8C. These findings will help to develop appropriate charging protection strategy for better battery operation and life.

Performance study of large capacity industrial lead‑carbon battery for energy storage

Electrochemical energy storage is a vital component of the renewable energy power generating system, and it helps to build a low-carbon society. The lead-carbon battery is an improved lead-acid battery that incorporates carbon into the negative plate. It compensates for the drawback of lead-acid batteries' inability to handle instantaneous high current charging, and it has the benefits of high safety, high-cost performance, and sustainable development. The recycling efficiency of lead-carbon batteries is 98 %, and the recycling process complies with all environmental and other standards. Deep discharge capability is also required for the lead-carbon battery for energy storage, although the depth of discharge has a significant impact on the lead-carbon battery's positive plate failure. This study optimizes and enhances the lead-carbon battery's positive plate, allowing it to perform both high-current charging (340.255 A) and deep discharge (70 % DOD) operations. Selecting acceptable lead alloys, improving the structure of the positive grid, and regulating the grid's curing and drying processes are all part of the optimization and improvement process. The upgraded lead-carbon battery has a cycle life of 7680 times, which is 93.5 % longer than the unimproved lead-carbon battery under the same conditions. The large-capacity (200 Ah) industrial lead-carbon batteries manufactured in this paper is a dependable and cost-effective energy storage option.

Surfactant modified CNTs@S as cathode materials for high rate performance lithium sulfur batteries

The cathode materials are an important aspect of lithium sulfur battery research. This paper focuses on the electrochemical changes in the interface between cathode and electrolyte, via the surface modification of [email protected] composites by different types of surfactant. And the cause of this phenomenon is speculated through some comparative experiments. We find that the surfactant adsorbed on the surface of the [email protected] produce two effects in opposite directions on the interface between cathode and electrolyte: On the one hand, interaction between the hydrophilic group of surfactant and the electrolyte reducing the charge transfer impedance and improving the electrochemical reaction rate; On the other hand, the contact between the hydrophobic group of surfactant and [email protected] leads a new impedance creating. If these two opposite effects are properly controlled, the battery impedance can be substantially reduced. Finally, with the [email protected] cathode modified by APG, the charge transfer impedance decreased from 127.2 Ω to about 6.3 Ω, even with the newly generated contact impedance, the total impedance is approximately 1/9 of the original. This change increases the maximum charge and discharge current density of the [email protected] battery from 1 C to 7 C. Even both with a high sulfur loading of 5.3 mg cm−2 and a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 4.1 mL g−1, the Li-S batteries with [email protected] cathode modified by APG still deliver a high capacity of 2.38 mAh cm−2 (66% of initial capacity) after 50 cycles. Moreover, this simple modification strategy is suitable in different carbon-sulfur composites to improve the high current density charge and the discharge performance of Li-S batteries. It brings a new mentality to the industrial application of Li-S batteries.

Enhanced charge transfer in TiO2 nanoparticles/ MoO3 nanostructures bilayer heterojunction electrode for efficient electrochromism

Electrochromic smart windows play a significant role in energy saving technologies and there is a need to find more efficient as well as cheaper electrode materials suitable for this application. Electrode materials with adequate usage of nanostructuring and novel design strategies can help in improving the charge transfer and achieving better electrochromic performance. Herein, we explored a nanostructured electrode with the bilayer heterojunction design employing environmental friendly & cost effective TiO2 and MoO3 in an electrochromic device. A bilayer electrode with nanoparticulate TiO2 in the bottom layer and randomly oriented MoO3 nanostructures as the top layer has been adopted for the first time. The electrode exemplified a superior performance in terms of high current density and charge storage capacity as well as rate capability as compared to the relevant reports in the literature. A color contrast of 38%, switching response of ~2 s and high coloration efficiency of 72.5 cm2/C were achieved. The device has also shown good cyclic stability and high reversibility. The enhanced performance is ascribed to the nanostructured morphology of the electrode and the built-in potential at the interface, which improved the charge transfer, electrical conductivity and ionic transport in the device. The study presents a new viable approach of electrode design with nanoparticle bottom layer to improve the electrochromic performance capabilities, which can be extended to any other electrochromic materials as well.

In-situ observation of the Zn electrodeposition on the planar electrode in the alkaline electrolytes with different viscosities

As the dendrite issue is prominent in Zn-based batteries, the regulation of Zn electrodeposition to inhibit the dendrite formation and growth is crucial. Herein, the in-situ observation of electrodeposition process on a planar electrode is performed in this work. The scenarios of operating conditions and electrolyte viscosities are investigated by adjusting charging currents and adding polymer molecules with different concentrations. It is found that the Zn electrodeposition process can be divided into uniform and non-uniform regions, and high currents and high viscosities can prolong the uniform region. Besides, with the increases of current and viscosity, the deposition Zn becomes thinner and compact in the uniform region. The mechanism is proposed as the high current can provide enough electrons which can make the deposition occur besides the deposition tips. The increase in viscosity hinders ion transport, which makes the effect of distance more obvious. Thus, using a high charging current (e.g., pulse charging) and/or an electrolyte with high viscosity are favorable for the uniform deposition of Zn. This work lays the foundation for the improvement of alkaline Zn-based batteries. The optical in-situ observation technology used here is also favorable to explore the deposition process in other electrochemical systems.

Fast Charging Impact on the Lithium-Ion Batteries’ Lifetime and Cost-Effective Battery Sizing in Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles Applications

Fast charging is an essential stakeholder concern for achieving a deeper penetration of Electric Vehicles (EVs), as optimizing the charging times of conventional vehicles is as yet a bottleneck to be solved. An important drawback of EV’s fast charging lies in the degradation suffered by the Li-ion Batteries (LIBs) at high charging currents. A deep understanding of the how these fast-charging activities affect the LIBs’ degradation is necessary in order to design appropriate fast charging stations and EV powertrains for different scenarios and contexts. In this regard, the present paper analyzes the effect of fast charging on Libs’ degradation under operation profiles from real driving cycles. Specifically, Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) driving profiles from three demos in European Cities (Gothenburg, Osnabrück and Barcelona) have been used in this analysis. In order to deduce the best practices for the design of the charging stations, different sizes for the chargers have been simulated, focusing on the analysis of the LIB degradation under each situation. Besides, for the design of the EV powertrain, different LIB sizes and LIB chemistries (Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt-NMC, Lithium Iron Phosphate-LFP, and Lithium Titanate Oxide-LTO) have also been proposed and compared in terms of LIB degradation. The results demonstrated that LTO batteries exhibited the lowest degradation, with capacity fade values under 1.5%/year in the nominal scenario (nominal charger and LIB sizes). As long as a full charging is ensured, reducing the fast charger size has been found to be a cost-effective measure, as the LTO degradation can be reduced at least to 1.21%/year. In addition, increasing the battery (BT) size has also been found to be a cost-effective approach for LTO batteries. In this case, it was found that for a 66% increase in capacity, the degradation can be reduced at least to 0.74%/year (more than 50% reduction). The obtained conclusions are seen as useful for the design of charging stations and EV’s BT systems that undergo fast charging.

Fast‐Charging Solid‐State Lithium Metal Batteries: A Review

Nowadays solid‐state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) catch researchers’ attention and are considered as the most promising energy storage devices for their high energy density and safety. However, compared to lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), the low ionic conductivity in solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) and poor interface contact between SSEs and electrodes counteract some advantages of SSEs. As a result, SSLMBs show high energy density but low critical current density and slow charging speed. Herein, the recent progress and proposed strategies for fast‐charging SSLMBs are reviewed. In the second part of this review, various strategies for improving SSE performance in fast‐charging batteries are comprehensively highlighted. In the third part, various rational structure design schemes benefitting fast‐charging batteries are discussed. Finally, the development of fast‐charging SSLMBs is concluded and prospected. It is believed that the combination of fast‐charging times and SSLMBs is rather competitive for next‐generation, high energy density, high safety, and high charging rate energy storage devices.

Pressure-induced evolution in the durability of nickel-metal hydride batteries under high-current charge.

We found that an AAA-type battery (min. 750 mAh) pressurized with Ar or N2 at pressures of up to 5 MPa exhibited a significant durability enhancement even under high-current conditions. As an example of a charge-discharge cycle test at 3 amperes, the residual ratio of capacity at atmospheric pressure decreased to approximately 90% of the standard capacity before 50 cycles. However, at a pressure of 3 MPa of N2, the capacity remained at more than 90% until 180 cycles. With an increase in the pressure, the residual ratio of capacity was further improved. It has been considered that, at the positive electrode of the Ni-MH battery, the chemical reaction from nickel(II) hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) crystals to nickel oxide hydroxide (NiOOH) crystals occurs during the charging process. However, X-ray diffraction (XRD) results in the present study do not support this solid-solid reaction between these two types of crystal. To address this contradiction, we propose a different reaction mechanism by introducing the concept of non-crystalline fine particles of compounds, which are undetected by XRD. This mechanism clearly explains how the pressure affects the durability improvement. Pressurized batteries, which are capable of fast charge-discharge operation under high-current conditions, can provide a new route for application fields of unconventional energy storage.

Voltage Equivalence of Partial Discharge Tests for XLPE Insulation Defects

Partial discharge (PD) is an important factor leading to insulation deterioration and fault of power cables. Due to large cable capacitances, power supplies should provide high reactive charging currents during field tests; common PD test methods of power frequency (PF) voltage or alternating current resonance (ACR) voltage cannot meet the field test requirements with the increase of cable voltage levels and line lengths. At present, the equivalence between PF-like (PFL) voltages, such as damped alternating current (DAC) voltage, very low-frequency sine (VLF-Sine) wave voltage, or very low-frequency cosine rectangular (VLF-CR) wave voltage and PF is still unclear. In this article, four kinds of defect flat models of the needle tips, air gaps, metal particles, and moisture are made. The PD tests are carried out under different voltage waveforms [DAC, sine, and cosine rectangular (CR)] and frequencies (0.1&#x2013;1000 Hz). The PD inception voltages (PDIV), phase-resolved PD (PRPD) spectra, and PD amplitudes of various defects are studied. The PDIV&#x2019;s equivalent coefficient <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${K}_{\text {PDIV}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, total discharge amplitude&#x2019;s equivalent coefficient <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${K}_{\textit {W}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and PRPD&#x2019;s statistical operators are proposed to characterize the PD equivalence between PFL and PF quantitatively. The results show that <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${K}_{\text {PDIV}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${K}_{W}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and PRPD&#x2019;s statistical operators can better evaluate the PD discovery abilities, PD severities, and PD-type recognition abilities of different voltage types. This study provides a technical basis for selecting the appropriate test voltage types and ensuring the test scientificity and reliability of cable PD tests in the field.

Reconstruction and electronic properties of β-Li3PS4|Li2S interface

The morphology and properties of the interface between solid electrolyte and electrode have important impacts on all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries’ performance. We used the first-principles calculations to explore the interface between Li2S cathode and β-Li3PS4 (lithium thiophosphate, LPS) solid electrolyte, including lattice structure, mechanical, electrical properties, interface contact type, and charge distribution in real space. It is found that the interface is significantly reconstructed, and the Li atoms at the interface move mainly parallel to the interface plane. The interface density states introduce metallic properties, mainly contributed by the Li-s and S-s, -p orbitals in Li2S and S-p orbitals in LPS. The highest occupied molecular orbitals of the LPS electrolyte are lower than the electrochemical potential (Fermi level) of the Li2S cathode, thus the electrolyte and cathode materials are reasonable and stable in thermodynamics. Interface density of states shows electrons on the interface do not penetrate from Li2S into LPS, and do not leak electrons to cause electron conduct in LPS. Besides, the interface is an n-type Schottky barrier with a barrier value of 1.0 eV. The work-function of the interface indicates that there is a space charge layer (SCL) by the redistribution of electrons, which is in agreement with the result of interface charge density difference. The electron/hole pairs will be separate, realizing high current charge and discharge capability because of the SCL.

V2O5 Nanosheets as an Efficient, Low‐cost Pt‐free Alternate Counter Electrode for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

AbstractThe search for cost‐effective and efficient counter electrode finds its way in choosing vanadium pentoxide, an abundant and low‐cost material with good electrocatalytic property and stability. Two‐dimensional vanadium pentoxide nanosheets (V2O5 NS) were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method followed by calcination at 350 °C. The morphology of the synthesized material provides an excellent surface property with good surface area and a wide range of porosity distribution helps in enhancing the electrocatalytic active sites for effective reduction of I3−. The electrochemical studies performed with V2O5 NS showed good electrocatalytic activity with high current density, low series and charge transfer resistance. The electrochemical techniques CV, EIS and Tafel polarization performed with V2O5 NS gave an enhanced electrocatalytic activity and charge transfer kinetics with a low value of Rs and Rct. Furthermore, the photocurrent voltage studies done with V2O5 NS CE DSSC achieved a PCE of 5.1% ( Open circuit voltage (Voc)=0.65 V, short ciruit photocurrent density (Jsc)=11.67 mA/cm2 and fill factor (FF)=66.46%) and the conventional thermal decomposed Pt CE DSSC reached the PCE of 7.4% (Open circuit voltage (Voc)=0.78 V, short circuit photocurrent density (Jsc)=15.03 mA/cm2 and fill factor (FF)=57.39%) under similar test conditions, appreciably good performance than previous reports on V2O5 CE DSSC. The present work encourages further extensive research to develop nanostructures of V2O5 as a low‐cost alternate counter electrode to Pt CE for large‐scale production.