Issue

Vol. 7 No. 3 (2015)

Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity by RGO/MWCNTs/NiO Counter Electrode for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-015-0043-7
Majid Raissan Al-bahrani
Center for Nanoscale Characterization & Devices, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Waqar Ahmad
Center for Nanoscale Characterization & Devices, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Hadja Fatima Mehnane
School of Physics and Technology and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structure of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People’s Republic of China
Ying Chen
Center for Nanoscale Characterization & Devices, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Ze Cheng
School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Yihua Gao
Center for Nanoscale Characterization & Devices, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Yihua Gao

gaoyihua@hust.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 7 No. 3 (2015), Article Number: 298-306

Abstract

We applied the reduced graphene oxide/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/nickel oxide (RGO/MWCNTs/NiO) nanocomposite as the counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates by blade doctor method. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.13 % was achieved for this DSSCs device, which is higher than that of DSSCs devices using NiO, RGO, and RGO/NiO-CE (PCE = 2.71 %, PCE = 6.77 % and PCE = 7.63 %). Also, the fill factor of the DSSCs devices using the RGO/MWCNTs/NiO-CE was better than that of other CEs. The electron transfer measurement of cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that RGO/MWCNTs/NiO film could provide fast electron transfer between the CE and the electrolyte, and high electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of triiodide in a CE based on RGO/MWCNTs/NiO in a DSSC.

Keywords

Graphene oxide Carbon nanotubes Nickel oxide Counter electrode Dye-sensitized solar cells
Al-bahrani, Majid Raissan, Waqar Ahmad, Hadja Fatima Mehnane, Ying Chen, Ze Cheng, and Yihua Gao. 2015. “Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity by RGO/MWCNTs/NiO Counter Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells”. Nano-Micro Letters 7 (3):298-306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-015-0043-7.
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. B. O’Regan, M. Grätzel, Low-cost, high efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films. Nature 353, 737–740 (1991). doi:10.1038/353737a0
  2. M. Grätzel, Photoelectrochemical cells. Nature 414, 338–344 (2001). doi:10.1038/35104607
  3. A. Yella, H.W. Lee, H.N. Tsao, C. Yi, A.K. Chandiran, M.K. Nazeeruddin, E.W.G. Diau, C.Y. Yeh, S.M. Zakeeruddin, M. Grätzel, Porphyrin sensitized solar cells with cobalt (II/III)-based redox electrolyte exceed 12 % efficiency. Science 334(6056), 629–634 (2011). doi:10.1126/science.1209688
  4. S. Ito, P. Chen, P. Comte, M.K. Nazeeruddin, P. Liska, P. Péchy, M. Grätzel, Fabrication of screen printing pastes from TiO2 powders for dye-sensitised solar cells. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 15(7), 603–612 (2007). doi:10.1002/pip.768
  5. Y. Chiba, A. Islam, Y. Watanabe, R. Komiya, N. Koide, L. Han, Dye-sensitized solar cells with conversion efficiency of 11.1 %. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 45(24–28), L638–L640 (2006). doi:10.1143/JJAP.45.L638
  6. L. Han, A. Islam, A. Han Chen, C. Malapak, B. Chiranjeevi, S. Zhang, X. Yang, M. Yanagida, High-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell with a novel co-adsorbent. Energy Environ. Sci. 5, 6057–6060 (2012). doi:10.1039/c2ee03418b
  7. Y. Saito, W. Kubo, T. Kitamura, Y. Wada, S. Yanagida, I-/I3- redox reaction behavior on poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Photochem. Photobiol. A-Chem. 164(1–3), 153–157 (2004). doi:10.1016/j.jphotochem.2003.11.017
  8. B. Fan, X. Mei, K. Sun, J. Ouyang, Conducting polymer/carbon nanotube composite as counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells. Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 143103 (2008). doi:10.1063/1.2996270
  9. T.N. Murakami, S. Ito, Q. Wang, M.K. Nazeeruddin, T. Bessho, I. Cesar, P. Liska, R. Humphry-Baker, P. Comte, P. Péchy, M. Grätzel, Highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells based on carbon black counter electrodes. J. Electrochem. Soc. 153(12), A2255–A2261 (2006). doi:10.1149/1.2358087
  10. W. Hong, Y. Xu, G. Lu, C. Li, G. Shi, Transparent graphene/PEDOT-PSS composite films as counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochem. Commun. 10(10), 1555–1558 (2008). doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2008.08.007
  11. K. Imoto, K. Takahashi, T. Yamaguchi, T. Komura, J. Nakamura, K. Murata, High-performance carbon counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 79(4), 459–469 (2003). doi:10.1016/S0927-0248(03)00021-7
  12. Z. Huang, X. Liu, K. Li, D. Li, Y. Luo, H. Li, W. Song, L.-Q. Chen, Q. Meng, Application of carbon materials as counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochem. Commun. 9(4), 596–598 (2007). doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2006.10.028
  13. E. Ramasamy, Nanocarbon counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells, vol. 90 (AIP, New York, 2007)
  14. P. Joshi, L. Zhang, Q. Chen, D. Galipeau, H. Fong, Q. Qiao, Electrospun carbon nanofibers as low-cost counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2(12), 3572–3577 (2010). doi:10.1021/am100742s
  15. X. Mei, S.J. Cho, B. Fan, J. Ouyang, High-performance dye-sensitized solar cells with gel-coated binder-free carbon nanotube films as counter electrode. Nanotechnology 21(39), 395202 (2010). doi:10.1088/0957-4484/21/39/395202
  16. C.-T. Hsieh, B.-H. Yang, J.-Y. Lin, One-and two-dimensional carbon nanomaterials as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Carbon 49(9), 3092–3097 (2011). doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2011.03.031
  17. G. Veerappan, K. Bojan, S.-W. Rhee, Sub-micrometer-sized graphite as a conducting and catalytic counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 3(3), 857–862 (2011). doi:10.1021/am101204f
  18. L. Kavan, J.H. Yum, M.K. Nazeeruddin, M. Gratzel, Graphene nanoplatelet cathode for Co(III)/(II) mediated dye-sensitized solar cells. ACS Nano 5(11), 9171–9178 (2011). doi:10.1021/nn203416d
  19. F. Gong, Z. Li, H. Wang, Z.S. Wang, Enhanced electrocatalytic performance of graphene via incorporation of SiO2 nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. 22, 17321–17327 (2012). doi:10.1039/c2jm33483f
  20. A. Kaniyoor, S. Ramaprabhu, Thermally exfoliated graphene based counter electrode for low cost dye sensitized solar cells. J. Appl. Phys. 109, 124308 (2011). doi:10.1063/1.3600231
  21. A. Kay, M. Gratzel, Low cost photovoltaic modules based on dye sensitized nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and carbon powder. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 44(1), 99–117 (1996). doi:10.1016/0927-0248(96)00063-3
  22. K. Suzuki, M. Yamaguchi, M. Kumagai, S. Yanagida, Application of carbon nanotubes to counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells. Chem. Lett. 32(1), 28–29 (2003). doi:10.1246/cl.2003.28
  23. W.J. Lee, E. Ramasamy, D.Y. Lee, J.S. Song, Efficient dye-sensitized solar cells with catalytic multiwall carbon nanotube counter electrodes. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 1(6), 1145–1149 (2009). doi:10.1021/am800249k
  24. C.S. Du, N. Pan, Supercapacitors using carbon nanotubes films by electrophoretic deposition. J. Power Sources 160(2), 1487 (2006). doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2006.02.092
  25. H.Y. Wang, F.M. Wang, Y.Y. Wang, C.C. Wan, B.J. Hwang, R. Santhanam, Electrochemical formation of Pt nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotubes: useful for fabricating electrodes for use in dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Rick J. Phys. Chem. C 115(16), 8439–8445 (2011). doi:10.1021/jp201220t
  26. H.J. Shin, S.S. Jeon, S.S. Im, CNT/PEDOT core/shell nanostructures as a counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Synth. Met. 161(13–14), 1284–1288 (2011). doi:10.1016/j.synthmet.2011.04.024
  27. M.R. Al-bahrani, X. Xu, W. Ahmad, X.-L. Ren, J. Su, Z. Cheng, Y. Gao, Highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cell with GNS/MWCNT/PANI as a counter electrode. Mater. Res. Bull. 59, 272–277 (2014). doi:10.1016/j.materresbull.2014.07.029
  28. L. Chang, C. Lee, K. Huang, Y. Wang, M. Yeh, J. Lin, K. Ho, Facile fabrication of PtNP/MWCNT nanohybrid films for flexible counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. 22(7), 3185–3191 (2012). doi:10.1039/c2jm15614h
  29. I. Ahmad, J.E. McCarthy, M. Bari, Y.K. Gunko, Carbon nanomaterial based counter electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells. Sol. Energy 102, 152–161 (2014). doi:10.1016/j.solener.2014.01.012
  30. H. Wang, W. Wei, Y.H. Hu, NiO as an Efficient counter electrode catalyst for dye-Sensitized solar cells. Top Catal. 57(6–9), 607–611 (2014). doi:10.1007/s11244-013-0218-8
  31. M.R. Al-bahrani, L. Liu, W. Ahmad, J. Tao, F. Tu, Z. Cheng, Y. Gao, NiO-NF/MWCNT nanocomposite catalyst as a counter electrode for high performance dye-sensitized solar cells. Appl. Surf. Sci. 331, 333–338 (2015). doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.01.015
  32. J.S. Jang, D.J. Ham, E. Ramasamy, J. Lee, J.S. Lee, Platinum-free tungsten carbides as an efficient counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells. Chem. Commun. 46, 8600–8602 (2010). doi:10.1039/c0cc02247k
  33. M.-H. Yeh, L.-Y. Lin, L.-Y. Chang, Y.-A. Leu, W.-Y. Cheng, J.-J. Lin, K.-C. Ho, Dye-sensitized solar cells with reduced graphene oxide as the counter electrode prepared by a green photothermal reduction process. Chem. Phys. Chem. 15(6), 1175–1181 (2014). doi:10.1002/cphc.201301128
  34. E. Bi, H. Chen, X. Yang, W. Peng, M. Grätzel, L. Han, A quasi core–shell nitrogen-doped graphene/cobalt sulfide conductive catalyst for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. Energy Environ. Sci. 7, 2637–2641 (2014). doi:10.1039/C4EE01339E
  35. E. Bi, Y. Su, H. Chen, X. Yang, M. Yin, F. Ye, Z. Li, L. Han, A hybrid catalyst composed of reduced graphene oxide/Cu2S quantum dots as a transparent counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells. RSC Adv. 5, 9075–9078 (2015). doi:10.1039/C4RA14029J
  36. J. Zhu, J. Wang, F. Lv, S. Xiao, C. Nuckolls, H. Li, Synthesis and self-assembly of photonic materials from nanocrystalline titania sheets. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 135(12), 4719–4721 (2013). doi:10.1021/ja401334j
  37. W. Sun, T. Peng, Y. Liu, W. Yu, K. Zhang, H.F. Mehnane, C. Bu, S. Guo, X.-Z. Zhao, Layer-by-Layer self-assembly of TiO2 hierarchical nanosheets with exposed 001 facets as an effective bifunctional layer for dye-sensitized solar cells. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 6(12), 9144–9149 (2014). doi:10.1021/am501233q
  38. M. Grätzel, Perspectives for dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells. Prog. Photovolt Res. Appl. 8(1), 171–185 (2000). doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-159X(200001/02)8:1<171:AID-PIP300>3.0.CO;2-U
  39. J.H. Cheon, D.Y. Jung, S.K. Choi, K.-S. Ahn, D.K. Lee, J.H. Kim, Enhancement of light harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells by using Först-type resonance energy transfer. Met. Mater. Int. 19(6), 1365–1368 (2013). doi:10.1007/s12540-013-0642-0
  40. F.F. Santiago, J. Bisquert, E. Palomares, Correlation between photovoltaic performance and impedance spectroscopy of dye-sensitized solar cells based on ionic liquids. Phys. Chem. C 111(17), 6550–6560 (2007). doi:10.1021/jp066178a
  41. S. Das, P. Sudhagar, V. Verma, D. Song, E. Ito, S.Y. Lee, Y. Kang, W. Choi, Amplifying charge-transfer characteristics of graphene for triiodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. 21(19), 3729–3736 (2011). doi:10.1002/adfm.201101191
  42. D.W. Zhang, X.D. Li, H.B. Li, S. Chen, Z. Sun, X.J. Yin, S.M. Huang, Graphene-based counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Carbon 49(15), 538–5388 (2011). doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2011.08.005
  43. L. Han, N. Koide, Y. Chiba, A. Isalam, R. Komiya, N. Fuke, A. Fukui, R. Ymanaka, Improvement of efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells by reduction of internal resistance. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 213501–213503 (2005). doi:10.1063/1.1925773
  44. A. Ejigu, K.R.J. Lovelock, P. Licence, D.A. Walsh, The effect of linker of electrodes prepared from sol–gel ionic liquid precursor and carbon nanoparticles on dioxygen electroreduction bioelectrocatalysis. Electrochim. Acta 56(28), 10306–10313 (2011). doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2011.03.139
  45. F. Gong, H. Wang, X. Xu, G. Zhou, Z.S. Wang, In situ growth of Co0.85Se and Ni0.85Se on conductive substrates as high-performance counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134(26), 10953–10958 (2012). doi:10.1021/ja303034w
  46. J.D. Roy-Mayhew, D.J. Bozym, C. Punckt, I.A. Aksay, Functionalized graphene as a catalytic counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. ACS Nano 4(10), 6203–6211 (2010). doi:10.1021/nn1016428
  47. Y.M. Xiao, J.Y. Lin, S.Y. Tai, S.W. Chou, G. Yue, J.H. Wu, Pulse electropolymerization of high performance PEDOT/MWCNT counter electrodes for Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. 22, 19919–19925 (2012). doi:10.1039/c2jm34425d
  48. L. Han, N. Koide, Y. Chiba, A. Islam, T. Mitate, Modeling of an equivalent circuit for dye-sensitized solar cells: improvement of efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell by reducing internal resistance. C. R. Chim. 9(5–6), 645–651 (2006). doi:10.1016/j.crci.2005.02.046
Read More
Author biographies are not available.
Download this PDF file
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 4372 Download : 3326

Most read articles by the same author(s)