Performance Of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Research Articles

Enhancing dye-sensitized solar cell performance: Optimizing Cu2ZnSnS4/ZnCo2O4 nanocomposites as efficient and cost-effective counter electrodes

This study investigates the utilization of Cu2ZnSnS4/ZnCo2O4 (CZTS/ZCO) nanocomposites prepared through hydrothermal and combustion methods as counter electrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). Different ratios of Cu2ZnSnS4 and ZnCo2O4 were explored, and comprehensive analyses were conducted using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), High-Resolution TEM (HRTEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Raman Spectroscopy, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), Tafel analysis, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Incident Photon-to-Electron Conversion Efficiency (IPCE), alongside long-term stability assessments. The CZTS:ZCO ratio of 2:1 exhibited the highest efficiency, reaching 8.81 %, with an open-circuit voltage of 729 mV, short-circuit current of 17.80 mAcm−2, and a fill factor of 67.9 %. This surpasses the efficiency of the reference Pt cell (8.42 %), which had an open-circuit voltage of 735 mV, short-circuit current of 17.16 mAcm−2, and a fill factor of 66.8 %. The average crystallite sizes for the main peaks of CZTS and ZCO samples were estimated to be 19.8 and 16.7 nm, respectively. The crystallite size can significantly affect the charge transfer and conductivity in the counter electrode during electrochemical processes; the presence of nanocrystals with these sizes can notably enhance the electrochemical properties and conductivity of the synthesized samples. Raman analysis results indicate that no additional phases or secondary phases such as ZnS and CuSnS3 have formed in the kesterite CZTS structure, and the crystal has formed as a single phase. Additionally, the F2g modes in the Raman spectrum of ZCO indicate tetrahedral units in the spinel ZCO structure, and the A1g modes represent octahedral structures in this phase, indicating the formation of suitable ZCO phase. The superior performance of the CZTS/ZCO nanocomposite can be attributed to its enhanced crystalline structure, superior charge transport characteristics, and improved electrocatalytic behaviours.

How Components of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Contribute to Efficient Solar Energy Capture

Herein, we reviewed the main components of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) which are an emerging cheap and environmentally benign alternative for solar energy capture and conversion to electricity. The role of individual parts such as the semiconductor electrode, counter electrode, photosensitizer, electrolyte, and substrate and their contribution to the overall efficiency (η) of DSSCs are discussed. In addition, parameters such as short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and fill factor used to quantify the efficiency of DSSCs are addressed. The highest solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of 13 % has been achieved using titanium dioxide as a semiconductor electrode, a triiodide system as a redox couple, and platinum counter electrodes. Semiconductors are made up of materials such as glass, carbon, conductive polymers and other metal oxides have lower efficiencies (< 8 %). In addition, synthetic photosensitizers especially ruthenium complexes have higher efficiencies (10-11 %) compared to natural dyes among which the highest efficiency (4.6 %) was achieved using chlorophyll. The performance of natural dyes based on efficiency of the DSSC is generally in the order: chlorophyll > anthocyanins > carotenoids that is highly attributed to their structure which not only dictates electron release and recombination but also attachment to other components. The DSSC performance is not fixed but rather tunable by variations in the components to achieve desired structural and electronic properties such as firm anchorage between the photosensitizer and the semiconductors, the reduction of the energy band gap by incorporation of other metal salts to extend the absorption range and use of additives that prevent electron recombination with the photosensitizer or any hindrances in the electrolyte redox reactions.

Synergistic effects of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) blends in gel electrolytes for efficient and long-term stability in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

In this work, the stability issues associated with liquid electrolyte-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have been addressed by introducing polymer gel electrolytes. The synergistic combination of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) has been achieved through solution blending. Ionic conductivity measurements, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy have been employed for analysis. Optimal cohesiveness was observed at PVP concentrations exceeding 40 %, with the best outcomes achieved at a 50 % PVDF-PVP weight ratio. The electrolyte solution, comprising the polymer blend, suitable solvents, and iodine-based salts, exhibits peak conductivity (2.33 mScm⁻1) at a 10 % salt content. DSSCs utilizing the PVDF & PVP polymer blend gel electrolytes demonstrate enhanced durability and maintained efficiency at 5.43 %, exhibiting only a modest 12 % reduction compared to liquid electrolyte counterparts. Over two weeks, the fabricated DSSCs exhibited consistent photovoltaic performance, while conventional cells experienced significant declines in short-circuit current (36 %) and open-circuit voltage (33.33 %). This study signifies a promising advancement in solar cell technology, showcasing improved stability and performance in DSSCs using conductive polymer blend gel electrolytes.

Optimization of electrolyte co-additives, TiO2 thickness, and dye concentration for the enhanced performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Optimization of electrolyte co-additives, TiO2 thickness, and dye concentration for the enhanced performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Synthesis of TiO2 Nanoparticles by Green Approach: Application as Photoanode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Efficient photoanodes play a central role in the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. Traditional methods for synthesizing TiO2 often involve chemical processes that can be expensive and environmentally harmful due to the use of toxic and hazardous substances. Therefore in this work, TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using bio-inspired processing through a hydrothermal procedure using different concentrations of Aloe barbadensis miller leaves extract as the reducing and stabilizing agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–vis spectroscopy (UV), X-ray difraction (XRD), Raman Spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis were used to characterize as synthesized TiO2 NPs. DSSCs were fabricated employing the prepared TiO2 NPs as photoanodes, and their performance was assessed. DSSC generates JSC of 9.7 mA/cm2, VOC of 0.682 V and efficiency (η) of 4.3 % when 20 mL concentration of extract was used for the synthesis of TiO2 NPs and subsequently their photoanodes.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of dye sensitized solar cells using cesium bromide modified TiO2 electron transport layer

TiO2 is one of the most widely explored materials as an electron transport layer (ETL) in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) due to its excellent physical and chemical properties. However, recombination at the device's interface slackens the charge carrier movement, adversely affecting their device performance. Rapid extraction of photogenerated charge carriers plays a vital role in developing high efficiency DSSCs. The conduction band alignment of TiO2 ETL and N719 dye light absorber plays a crucial role in charge carrier dynamics of DSSCs. Herein, the band structure of TiO2 ETL is finely tuned by the incorporation of cesium bromide (CsBr). At the optimal concentration (0.4 Wt. %), DSSCs achieved the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.28 % compared to 7.61 % for pristine TiO2. The modified TiO2–CsBr ETL induced a negative shift in flat band potential (Vfb) from −0.46 to −0.50 V, which improved the open circuit voltage (VOC), its work function (ɸ) from −4.71 to −3.75 eV and increased conduction band minimum (CBM) from −3.58 to −2.42 eV. CsBr incorporation increased electron density in TiO2 matrix, indicating the suppression of trap state and significantly improved the overall photovoltaic performance of DSSCs.

Dye-sensitized solar cell: Effect of light on N3 dye/BMII electrolyte based architecture

This study evaluates the photovoltaic performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) for various light conditions. This work focuses on exploring the experimental characteristics of a thin-film solar cell composed of an ITO/TiO2/N3-Dye and BMII electrolyte molecules/Pt/ITO. A meticulous investigation is conducted to understand the impact of different illumination intensities on the efficiency of these solar cells. In the experiments, the power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of the device reached 7.61 % with a maximum open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.67 V under 100 mW/cm2 AM 1.5 solar irradiance. The morphology of the TiO2 nanoparticles that have been synthesized for the DSSC were analyzed by Ultraviolet–Visible Spectrometry, X-Ray Diffractometry, as well as Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) parameters and Nyquist plot results showed that a systematic understanding of charge transfer within the DSSC is essential to extract an equivalent circuit model. The results of this study allow optimizing the performance of future DSSCs for sustainable energy systems.

A study on using a binder-free TiO2 paste with sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate addition to improve the performance of low-temperature DSSCs

The utilization of binder-free TiO2 paste allows for the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) TiO2 electrode fabrication at low temperatures, thus making it a potential material for flexible solar cell devices. However, the physical robustness of formed electrodes using TiO2 paste at low temperatures remains challenging, including issues such as cracking due to film stress and challenges in adjusting the viscosity of the TiO2 paste. In this study, we enhanced the binder-free TiO2 paste performance by incorporating sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) as an additive for TiO2 electrode precursor solution. It demonstrated that SDBS additives help to relieve internal stress and ultimately enhance the physical and structural characteristics of the films by improving the viscosity in the TiO2 paste and promoting the dispersed pinholes within the TiO2 films. Furthermore, implementing TiO2 paste with varying ratios of SDBS has enabled the fabrication of DSSCs with the highest achieved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.53%, representing an enhancement of nearly 15% compared to TiO2 paste without SDBS. This research presents a practical and effective approach for preparing highly efficient binder-free TiO2 paste.

Effect of Size and Morphology of Different ZnO Nanostructures on the Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this study, the influence of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures with various morphologies on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was investigated. Photo-electrodes were fabricated incorporating ZnO transport layers of distinct nanoscale morphologies—namely nanoparticles, microballs, spiky microballs, belts, and triangles—and their respective current–voltage characteristics were evaluated. It was observed that the DSSCs employing the triangular ZnO nanostructures, with a side length of approximately 30 nm, achieved the highest power conversion efficiency of 2.62%. This was closely followed by the DSSCs using spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of approximately 20 nm, yielding an efficiency of 2.54%. In contrast, the efficiencies of DSSCs with microball and spiky microball ZnO nanostructures were significantly lower, measuring 0.31 and 1.79%, respectively. The reduction in efficiency for the microball-based DSSCs is attributed to the formation of micro-cracks within the thin film during the fabrication process. All DSSC configurations maintained a uniform active area of 4 mm². Remarkably, the highest fill factor of 59.88% was recorded for DSSCs utilizing the triangular ZnO morphology, with the spherical nanoparticles attaining a marginally lower fill factor of 59.38%. This investigation corroborates the hypothesis that reduced particle size in the transport layer correlates with enhanced DSSC performance, which is further amplified when the nanoparticles possess pointed geometries that induce strong electric fields due to elevated charge concentrations.

Enhanced dye-sensitized solar cell performance and electrochemical capacitive behavior of bi-functional ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 ternary nanocomposite prepared by chemical co-precipitation method

Increasing prerequisites for sustainable energy storage and conversion technologies have necessitated the exploration of advanced materials with improved properties. Here, we present the synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), ZnO/NiO, ZnO/Co3O4 and ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NCs as promising bi-functional materials for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and electrochemical energy storage applications. A facile chemical co-precipitation approach was followed to synthesize pure ZnO NPs, ZnO/NiO, ZnO/Co3O4 and ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NCs. The structural and morphological analyses revealed the successful integration of ZnO, NiO, and Co3O4 NPs and also the formation of well-defined core-shell and homogenous nanocomposite structures. The XRD and HRTEM analyses confirmed the crystalline nature and nanoscale morphology of synthesized materials, respectively. The photovoltaic performance of DSSC fabricated using ternary ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC photoanode showed optimum dye-loading and best solar to electrical energy conversion efficiency with Jsc of 11.29 mA cm−2 and ƞ of 4.66%, which was considerably higher than the DSSC fabricated using pure ZnO NPs photoanode (ƞ = 2.01%). The increment in photocurrent density (Jsc) could be ascribed to the perfect band alignment of NiO and Co3O4 NPs in the ternary NC. Further, the ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC photoanode integrated DSSC disclosed 97% retainment in energy conversion efficiency even after 10 days of operation. The electrochemical performance of supercapacitor fabricated using ternary ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC showed high specific capacitance of 534.7 Fg−1 at 1 Ag−1 with favourable rate ability (∼52% at 16 Ag−1), good cyclic stability (91.07%) and low internal resistance. Moreover, the ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC at a current density of 2 Ag−1 exhibited a significantly high capacitance value of 463.1 Fg−1, which was 1.93, 1.58 and 1.22 times greater than ZnO NPs, ZnO/Co3O4 NC and ZnO/NiO NC, respectively.

Poly(triphenylamine-thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole) copolymer dyes with different anchoring end groups: Synthesis, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performance and femtosecond excited state absorption spectroscopy

In this study, the poly(triphenylaminethiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole) copolymer dyes having the different anchoring end groups of aldehyde (poly-TPATT-CHO; P5), sulfonic acid (poly-TPATT-SO3H; P5S) and cyanoacrylic acid (poly-TPATT-COOH; P5C) have been synthesized and used as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The effects of the anchoring end groups of the P5, P5S and P5C copolymer dyes on the DSSC performance were examined. The synthesized copolymer dyes were characterized using 1H NMR, UV–vis. absorption and fluorescence (FL) emission spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), MALDI-TOF-MS and FE-SEM-EDS methods. Among the studied polymers, the P5C polymer dye exhibited the best photovoltaic performance with a JSC of 6.46 mA cm−2, a VOC of 0.667 V, a FF of 0.70, and an overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.02 % under standard AM 1.5 G solar light conditions. These results are attributed to the strong binding ability of cyanoacrylic acid to the TiO2, leading to a greater photocurrent and hindered charge recombination. The effect of electron transfer mechanisms of the polymers on the DSSC performance have been investigated using the femtosecond transient absorption (fs TA) spectroscopy. The DSSC performance of the poly(triphenylaminethiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole) increased greatly by the presence of the cyanoacrylic acid anchoring end group in P5C polymer dye. The fs TA spectroscopy results revealed the presence of singlet–triplet transition for the P5C copolymer dye, while the P5 and P5S copolymers showed only singlet–singlet transitions. The observed triplet state transition in the P5C polymer increased the yield of the DSSC system.

Computational design and experimental investigation of novel thiophene-based organic dyes with N,N-dimethylaminophenyl and morpholinophenyl donors for dye-sensitized solar cells

A new series of thiophene-based organic chromophores (4–7 a, b) has been developed through structural engineering of the electron donor (D) group, incorporating N,N-dimethylaminophenyl and morpholinophenyl, and acceptor moieties such as benzonitrile and flurobenzonitrile. Additionally, a π-linkage of phenylthiophene was inserted. The effects of various donating and accepting groups, as well as the spacer, on the geometrical, energetic, absorption, and photovoltaic properties of these sensitizers were investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent DFT. The sensitizers were optimized in their ground state using selected functional methods. Furthermore, key properties such as absorbance, frequency, energies of Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) and Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO), energy gap, dipole moment, and global reactivity descriptors were calculated using quantum chemical calculations. These spectral properties and quantum chemical calculations provide valuable insights into the potential use of these sensitizers in photonic devices. The results obtained from analyzing light harvesting efficiency (LHE), free energy injection (ΔGinj), and open circuit voltage (Voc) demonstrate that these dyes show promising characteristics for future experimental studies and offer guidelines for improving the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. By employing structural modifications and investigating the electronic properties of these newly developed chromophores, this study contributes to the understanding of their behavior and potential applications in photonic devices. The findings provide a foundation for further experimental investigations and offer valuable insights for the development of more efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

Combined experimental and DFT investigation on photovoltaic performance of low-cost metal-free organic dye-sensitized solar cells

Metal-free organic dyes, viz. eosin yellow (eosin-Y), fluorescein and curcumin were used as sensitizers in zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles thin film photoanode based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and also investigated by density functional theory (DFT). UV–vis spectrophotometer was employed to determine absorption feature of dyes in solar spectrum, adsorption tendency towards ZnO photoanode surface, molar-extinction coefficient and desorbed dye molecules from the photoanode surface. The photovoltaic performance of metal-free organic DSSCs employing imidazole based liquid electrolyte and platinum counter electrode was evaluated under standard light exposure of 85 mW/cm2. Among the dyes, eosin-Y DSSC delivered overall energy conversion efficiency (η) of 0.95 % with short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc) of 2.98 mA cm−2, open-circuit photovoltage (Voc) of 0.54 V and fill factor (FF) of 0.50, which was about 20 % and 40 % higher than that of the energy conversion efficiency of DSSCs sensitized with fluorescein and curcumin dyes, respectively. The better photovoltaic performance exhibited by the eosin-Y DSSC is credited to its high molar extinction coefficient, intense light absorption in the solar spectrum and good adsorption on ZnO thin film photoanode surface. The maximum driving force for dye molecules regeneration and electron injection value of eosin-Y dye attached on the surface of ZnO cluster (eosin-Y + ZnO) resulted in higher Voc. The outcomes of this experimental data are in well agreement with DFT results.

Optical Properties of Lawsone dye doped with Zinc Oxide for the Fabrication of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

Due to their availability of basic ingredients and affordable cost, natural dyes are important in many applications. One of such natural dyes, Lawsone which is naturally extracted from henna leaves. The Zinc Oxide (ZnO) was intermixed with lawsone dye to their matching of energy levels with Titanium dioxide (TiO2) enables efficient charge transfer phenomenon. The optical study illustrates Lawsone dye - Zinc Oxide (Ld-ZnO) composite to utilize in energy conversion application. The FTIR spectra demonstrates the presence of Zn-O, C-O, C=O and hydroxyl groups are evident from near 500, 1633 and around 3250 cm−1 respectively. The UV-Visible spectra reveal maximum absorbance around narrow and broad peak at 368 nm for Lawsone dye (Ld) and Ld-ZnO composite respectively. The lawsone dye has better emission property that causes recombination of charge carriers reduces the performance of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). The DSSCs based on lawsone dye (Ld) and Ld-ZnO based material exhibits PCE of 0.12% and 0.17% respectively. This optical study suggests natural extraction of lawsone dye from henna leaves with suitable semi-conducting material was promising candidate to improve performance of DSSCs.

Indoor photovoltaics: A numerical model of dye-sensitized solar cells based on indoor illumination for the Internet of Things applications

Since dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have a suitable efficiency in the invisible region, they present a promising avenue for sustainable energy generation, particularly in the context of indoor environments where ambient lighting prevails. This paper proposes a novel numerical model tailored to assess the performance of DSSCs under indoor lighting conditions, with a specific focus on their potential application in powering Internet of Things (IoT) devices. By considering factors such as radiation intensity and spectral composition, particularly from common indoor light sources like Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and Fluorescent lights, the model offers insights into the efficiency and viability of DSSCs in indoor settings. Since empirical analyses are difficult and expensive, the existence of a numerical model that investigates cell behavior under indoor illumination can be beneficial for developing such cells. In conducting verifying analyses under varying lighting conditions, the study demonstrates notable efficiencies of DSSCs, with LED 3000 K illumination at 1000 lux intensity yielding the highest performance. While DSSCs may appear less economically viable in environments with readily available electricity, their potential significance lies in providing sustainable energy solutions for IoT devices, thus reducing dependency on conventional power sources and contributing to environmental sustainability. The scientific significance of this research lies in its contribution to understanding the behavior of DSSCs under indoor lighting, offering insights into their potential applications in powering IoT devices. By providing a numerical model for evaluating DSSC performance under realistic indoor conditions, this study opens avenues for further research in optimizing DSSC technology for indoor energy harvesting applications, thereby advancing the field of renewable energy and sustainable technology integration.

Integration Device of Super-Capacitors with Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Integration Device of Super-Capacitors with Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Combination of multiple routes to enhance DSSC performance: Flower-like structure of SnO2 as photoanode and modification with Ag nanoparticle

SnO2 is an attractive photoanode material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), but it has many drawbacks and needs to be modified. In this study, flower-like SnO2 particles are firstly prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal synthesis method respectively, and the effect of hydrothermal reaction time on the growth of the particles is explored. The morphological and structural characterisation reveals that the flower-like particles have a larger specific surface area can provide more adsorption sites for dye molecules and are more suitable for photoanode materials. Then the optimal flower-like SnO2 particles are selected to prepare the photoanode, which is also modified with different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles to successfully introduce the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, and the optimal modification concentration is explored. Conformal characterisation, dye adsorption and light absorption tests revealed that the modification of Ag nanoparticles not only optimises the photoanode conformal structure and improves the dye adsorption, but also works in conjunction with the LSPR effect to improve the light absorption and utilisation, thus increasing the cell efficiency. Many cell performances of DSSC are also greatly improved due to the above work, and the optimal cell performance of DSSC is achieved when the Ag nanoparticles doping concentration is 0.03 M. Compared with the pure flower-like SnO2-based photoanode DSSC, the short-circuit current density of the best Ag nanoparticle-modified DSSC is enhanced by 28.56% to 15.80 mA/cm2, and its efficiency is improved by 20.82%–5.92%.

Enhancing the Performance of Nanocrystalline TiO2 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Phenothiazine-Doped Blended Solid Polymer Electrolyte

Enhancing the Performance of Nanocrystalline TiO2 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Phenothiazine-Doped Blended Solid Polymer Electrolyte

The Effect of Position of Cyano-3-Acetic Acid Electron Withdrawing Group on γ-Mangostin as a Sensitizer on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC): Theoretical Study

Computational research on the influence of the electron acceptor group position of cyano-3-acetic acid on γ-mangostin as a sensitizer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) has been carried out with variations in the positions of the atoms O-1, O-2, O-3 and O- 4. The photoelectric properties are known from the HOMO-LUMO energy parameters, UV-Vis absorption, |VRP|, ΔGinject, ΔGreg, τ, LHE and FEDAM. Geometry optimization uses Orca 4.2.1 with a 6-31G* basis set and interpretation uses Avogadro, Chemissian and GaussSum. Ground state optimization uses the DFT-B3LYP method and excited state optimization uses the TD-DFT-B3LYP method. The results showed that the difference in photoelectric properties affected the DSSC performance. O-2 has the best parameters for electron scattering and UV-Vis light with an absorption of 426 nm. O-3 has the best value for excited state lifetime (τ) and coupling constant (|VRP|). O-3 has a weakness in the LHE value. The LHE value for compounds without modification has the best value. Based on the qualitative parameters of the Full-Electron Donor-Acceptor Map (FEDAM) it was found that the ability of cyano-3-acetic acid as an electron acceptor is better at O-2.

Highly transparent and efficient Pt/CeOx counter electrodes for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells

In this research, we introduce a pioneering approach for enhancing the electrocatalytic performance of counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by synthesizing Pt/CeOx hybrid nanocatalysts through a refined polyol reduction technique. This method facilitates the accurate production of Pt nanoparticles supported on ceria, leveraging their strong metal-oxide interactions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed to confirm the co-presence of both metallic and oxidized states of Pt, as well as the mixed valence states of ceria within these nanostructures. The electrocatalytic behavior of these nanocatalysts was rigorously evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), Tafel polarization analyses, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). We identified an optimal Pt/Ce ratio of 1:0.1, which significantly enhanced the kinetics of the iodine reduction reaction (IRR), a crucial factor for efficient DSSC operation. Photovoltaic testing under one-sun AM 1.5 G conditions demonstrated that DSSCs with the optimized Pt/CeOx CEs exhibited a 10 % increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE) comparted to control cells. This study highlights the effectiveness of Pt/CeOx hybrid nanocatalysts in improving bifacial DSSC performance, combining the catalytic strengths of platinum with the unique properties of ceria.