Investigation of Hexagonal Boron Nitride for Application as Counter Electrode in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 512-515 ◽  
pp. 242-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shun Jian Xu ◽  
Yu Feng Luo ◽  
Wei Zhong ◽  
Zong Hu Xiao ◽  
Xiao Yun Liu
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Boron Nitride ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Hexagonal Boron Nitride ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Transfer Resistance ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Catalytic Material ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

Hexagonal boron nitride (HBN), which has the same crystal structure as graphite, has been used as catalytic material for a counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) to investigate its potential application. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been used to confirm the crystal structure of HBN, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used to characterize the morphology of HBN film on counter electrode, and electrochemical workstation has been employed to obtain the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and corresponding impedance parameters. Results show that the HBN film has rough surface and porous structure with pore size of less than 1 μm. When employed the HBN counter electrode to DSCs, the conversion efficiency (η) is only about a tenth of that of graphite based DSCs. Low efficiency of HBN based DSCs is induced by high charge transfer resistance (Rct) of HBN counter electrode, which means that HBN can hardly provide catalytic activity for the reduction of the triiodide ion. Therefore, the crystal structure is not a crucial factor to select the catalytic material for a counter electrode in DSCs. Moreover, the short circuit photocurrent density (Jsc) and the open circuit voltage (Voc) of device also evidently depend on the characteristics of catalytic material.

A Light Harvesting Policy on Black Counter Electrode for Enhanced Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

2013 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Hui Chien ◽  
Ming-Lang Tsai ◽  
Chi-Chang Hsieh ◽  
Yan-Huei Li ◽  
Yuh J. Chao
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Electrochemical Impedance ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Tio2 Electrode ◽  
Electrochemical Impedance Spectra ◽  
Transfer Resistance ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

This work presents a novel light harvesting policy for a black counter electrode (BCE) to enhance the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which uses a metal-based light scattering layer (MLSL) that is formed from Al@SiO2 core-shell microflakes prepared and coated on BCE. DSSCs based on BCE with and without the MLSL are compared as well. Analysis results of electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) indicate that, while not affecting the charge transfer resistance at BCE, MLSL exhibits a low electron transport resistance in the TiO2/electrolyte interface. Our results further demonstrate that MLSL reflects light to the TiO2 electrode, subsequently increasing photocurrent density by 68.68% (from 2.65 to 4.47 mA/cm2) and improving the power conversion efficiency by 49.64%.

2D layered insulator hexagonal boron nitride enabled surface passivation in dye sensitized solar cells

Nanoscale ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (22) ◽  
pp. 11275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariyappan Shanmugam ◽  
Robin Jacobs-Gedrim ◽  
Chris Durcan ◽  
Bin Yu
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Boron Nitride ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Hexagonal Boron Nitride ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

scholarly journals Analysis of Catalytic Material Effect on the Photovoltaic Properties of Monolithic Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalita Maulani Nursam ◽  
Ade Istiqomah ◽  
Jojo Hidayat ◽  
Putri Nur Anggraini ◽  
Shobih
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Carbon Composite ◽  
Photovoltaic Properties ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Catalytic Material ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are widely developed due to their attractive appearance and simple fabrication processes. One of the challenges that arise in the DSSC fabrication involves high material cost associated with the cost of conductive substrate. DSSC with monolithic configuration was then developed on the basis of this motivation. In this contribution, titanium dioxide-based monolithic type DSSCs were fabricated on a single fluorine-doped transparent oxide coated glass using porous ZrO2 as spacer. Herein, the catalytic material for the counter-electrode was varied using carbon composite and platinum in order to analyze their effect on the solar cell efficiency. Four-point probe measurement revealed that the carbon composite exhibited slightly higher conductivity with a sheet resistance of 9.8 Ω/sq and 10.9 Ω/sq for carbon and platinum, respectively. Likewise, the photoconversion efficiency of the monolithic cells with carbon counter-electrode almost doubled the efficiency of the cells with platinum counter-electrode. Our results demonstrate that carbon could outperform the performance of platinum as catalytic material in monolithic DSSC.

scholarly journals Electrolyte Tuning in Iron(II)-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Different Ionic Liquids and I2 Concentrations

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3053
Author(s):  
Mariia Becker ◽  
Catherine E. Housecroft ◽  
Edwin C. Constable
Keyword(s):  
Ionic Liquids ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Electrochemical Impedance ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Diffusion Resistance ◽  
Transfer Resistance ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Average Maximum ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

The effects of different I2 concentrations and different ionic liquids (ILs) in the electrolyte on the performances of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) containing an iron(II) N-heterocyclic carbene dye and containing the I–/I3– redox shuttle have been investigated. Either no I2 was added to the electrolyte, or the initial I2 concentrations were 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.20 M. The short-circuit current density (JSC), open-circuit voltage (VOC), and the fill factor (ff) were influenced by changes in the I2 concentration for all the ILs. For 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazole iodide (HMII), low VOC and low ff values led to poor DSC performances. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed the causes to be increased electrolyte diffusion resistance and charge transfer resistance at the counter electrode. DSCs containing 1,3-dimethylimidazole iodide (DMII) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole iodide (EMII) showed the highest JSC values when 0.10 M I2 was present initially. Short alkyl substituents (Me and Et) were more beneficial than longer chains. The lowest values of the transport resistance in the photoanode semiconductor were found for DMII, EMII, and 1-propyl-2,3-dimethylimidazole iodide (PDMII) when no I2 was added to the initial electrolyte, or when [I2] was less than 0.05 M. Higher [I2] led to decreases in the diffusion resistance in the electrolyte and the counter electrode resistance. The electron lifetime and diffusion length depended upon the [I2]. Overall, DMII was the most beneficial IL. A combination of DMII and 0.1 M I2 in the electrolyte produced the best performing DSCs with an average maximum photoconversion efficiency of 0.65% for a series of fully-masked cells.

scholarly journals Synthesis, Characterization and Optimization of Hydrothermally Fabricated Binary Palladium Alloys PdNix for Use as Counter Electrode Catalysts in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3116
Author(s):  
Nyengerai Zingwe ◽  
Edson Meyer ◽  
Johannes Mbese
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Molar Ratio ◽  
Palladium Alloys ◽  
Counter Electrodes ◽  
Density Peak ◽  
Transfer Resistance ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

The hydrothermal synthesis, characterization and optimization of binary palladium alloys PdNix is hereby presented in this work. Comparison of the reduction capability of the developed PdNix alloys intended for use as alternative counter electrode catalysts in dye sensitized solar cells was made relative to the standard platinum counter electrode catalyst as well as the carbon supported PdNi-rGO sample. Optimization was accomplished through varying the molar ratio of the reagents. The unsupported PdNi3 sample produced the highest catalytic efficiency with reduction current density, peak to peak potential difference and charge transfer resistance of 35 mA cm−2, 0.15 mV and 0.47 Ω respectively. Obtained results show that the unsupported PdNi3 alloy was catalytically more effective than the platinum and PdNi-rGO thus could be a viable replacement in dye sensitized solar cell counter electrodes.

An Efficient Metal Conductor Paste/Nanoporous Carbon Composite Counter Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 347-353 ◽  
pp. 390-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shun Jian Xu ◽  
Yu Feng Luo ◽  
Wei Zhong ◽  
Guan Jun Qiao
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Electrochemical Impedance ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Nanoporous Carbon ◽  
Charge Transfer Resistance ◽  
Transfer Resistance ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

A novel counter electrode has been fabricated at low temperature using nanoporous carbon (NC) with about 35 nm pore size as based catalysis materials and silver conductor paste (SCP) as connecting adhesive. The efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) employing this SCP/NC electrode reaches to 5.91%, which is 15% higher than that of DSCs with NC electrode. The improved efficiency is attributed to the enhancement in the fill factor and the short circuit photocurrent density. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals that all of charge transfer resistance, ohmic serial resistance and Nernst diffusion impedance of SCP/NC electrode decrease compared with NC electrode. Especially, the efficiency of 5.91% is comparable to that of DSCs with Pt electrode.

Interconnected molybdenum disulfide@tin disulfide heterojunctions with different morphologies: a type of enhanced counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

CrystEngComm ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 1252-1263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kang Zhang ◽  
Jixin Yao ◽  
Xueqin Zuo ◽  
Qun Yang ◽  
Huaibao Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Molybdenum Disulfide ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Tin Disulfide ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

The MoS2@SnS2 heterojunctions have been synthesized and displayed the enhanced performance due to the specific crystal structure.

Electrochemical Exfoliation of Graphene Flake Embedded in SiNWs as Counter Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

NANO ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1750146
Author(s):  
Bairui Tao ◽  
Rui Miao ◽  
Wenyi Wu ◽  
Fengjuan Miao
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Electrochemical Exfoliation ◽  
Transfer Resistance ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

In this paper, a three-dimensional graphene wrapped silicon nanowire (SiNWs) architecture was synthesized by electrochemical exfoliation method and proposed to be the counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The results show that the few high-quality layers of graphene sheets have been obtained by electrochemical exfoliation method. The size of graphene is distributed from 550[Formula: see text]nm to 650[Formula: see text]nm, appropriately dispersed onto the SiNW supporter. The graphene/SiNW nanostructure still vertically aligned to the substrate finely. The channel between each wire is clear. The fabricated graphene/SiNWs electrode is a promising structure for future applications. The performance of the graphene/SiNWs as the counter electrode is found to be dependent on its dispersion in the whole backbone, with better dispersion offering more surface areas for the catalytic reduction reaction. Electrochemical tests reveal that the DSSC with graphene/SiNWs exhibits higher electro-catalytic activity and lower charge transfer resistance, suggesting that the 3D structure presents a potential way to fabricate low-cost, integrated and metal-free counter electrode for high-performance DSSCs. The DSSC based on graphene/SiNWs has an open-circuit voltage ([Formula: see text]) of 738.11[Formula: see text]mV, short-circuit current density ([Formula: see text]) of 15.48[Formula: see text]mA cm[Formula: see text], fill factor (FF) of 0.67 and conversion efficiency ([Formula: see text]) of 7.66%.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document