Issue

Vol. 5 No. 4 (2013)

Fabrication and Evaluation of Low-cost Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Counter Electrodes for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03353759
Jie Shen
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China
Dingwen Zhang
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China
Junjie Li
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China
Xiaodong Li
Advanced Materials Technology Centre, Singapore Polytechnic, 500 Dover Road 139651 Singapor
Zhuo Sun
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China
Sumei Huang
Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Rd. 3663, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China

Corresponding Author: Sumei Huang

smhuang@phy.ecnu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 5 No. 4 (2013), Article Number: 281-288

Abstract

We explore a simple and eco-friendly approach for preparing CZTS powders and a screen-printing process for Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticles have been synthesized via a hydrazine-free solvothermal approach without the assistance of organic ligands. CZTS has been prepared by directly drop-casting the CZTS ink on the cleaned FTO glass, while CZTSSe CEs have been fabricated by screen-printing CZTS pastes, followed by post selenization using Se vapor obtained from elemental Se pellets. The crystal structure, composition and morphology of the as-deposited CZTS nanoparticles and CZTSSe electrodes are characterized by X-ray diffractometer, energy dispersive spectrometer, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of CZTS, CZTSSe and Pt CE based DSCs are examined and analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The prepared CZTS and CZTSSe CEs exhibit a cellular structure with high porosity. DSCs fabricated with CZTSSe CEs achieve a power conversion efficiency of 5.75% under AM 1.5 G illumination with an intensity of 100 mW/cm2, which is higher than that (3.22%) of the cell using the CZTS CE. The results demonstrate that the CZTSSe CE possesses good electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of charge carriers in electrolyte. The comprehensive CZTSSe CE process is cheap and scalable. It can make large-scale electro-catalytic film fabrication cost competitive for both energy harvesting and storage applications.

Keywords

Copper-zinc-tin-chalcogenide Selenization Counter electrode Dye-sensitized solar cells
Shen, Jie, Dingwen Zhang, Junjie Li, Xiaodong Li, Zhuo Sun, and Sumei Huang. 2013. “Fabrication and Evaluation of Low-Cost Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells”. Nano-Micro Letters 5 (4):281-88. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03353759.
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. B. O’Regan and M. Grfitzeli, “A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films”, nature 353(6346), 737–740 (1991). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/353737a0
  2. M. Nazeeruddin, A. Kay, I. Rodicio, R. Humphry-Baker, E. Mueller, P. Liska, N. Vlachopoulos and M. Graetzel, “Conversion of light to electricity by cis-X2bis (2, 2′-bipyridyl-4, 4′-dicarboxylate) ruthenium (II) charge-transfer sensitizers (X= Cl-, Br-, I-, CN-, and SCN-) on nanocrystalline titanium dioxide electrodes”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115(14), 6382–6390 (1993). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja00067a063
  3. M. Malekshahi Byranvand, Ali Nemati Kharat and Mohammad Hossein Bazargan, “Titania nanostructures for Dye-sensitized solar cells”, Nano-Micro Lett. 4(4), 253–266 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.3786/nml.v4n4.p253-266
  4. Yafei Zhang, Huijuan Geng, Zhihua Zhou, Jiang Wu, Zhiming Wang, Yaozhong Zhang, Zhongli Li, Liying Zhang, Zhi Yang and Hueyliang Hwang, “Development of inorganic solar cells by nanotechnology”, Nano-Micro Lett. 4(2), 124–134 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.3786/nml.v4i2.p124-134
  5. T. Ma, X. Fang, M. Akiyama, K. Inoue, H. Noma and E. Abe, “Properties of several types of novel counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells”, J. Electroanal. Chem. 574(1), 77–83 (2004). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jelechem.2004.08.002
  6. P. Li, J. Wu, J. Lin, M. Huang, Z. Lan and Q. Li, “Improvement of performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on electrodeposited-platinum counter electrode”, Electrochim. Acta 53(12), 4161–4166 (2008). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2007.12.073
  7. G. Calogero, P. Calandra, A. Irrera, A. Sinopoli, I. Citro and G. Di Marco, “A new type of transparent and low cost counter-electrode based on platinum nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells”, Energy Environ. Sci. 4(5), 1838–1844 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c0ee00463d
  8. A. Kay and M. Grätzel, “Low cost photovoltaic modules based on dye sensitized nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and carbon powder”, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 44(1), 99–117 (1996). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0927-0248(96)00063-3
  9. J. Roy-Mayhew, D. Bozym, C. Punckt and I. Aksay, “Functionalized graphene as a catalytic counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells”, ACS Nano 4(10), 6203–6211 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nn1016428
  10. Q. Tai, B. Chen, F. Guo, S. Xu, H. Hu, B. Sebo and X. Z. Zhao, “In situ prepared transparent polyaniline electrode and its application in bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells”, ACS Nano 5(5), 3795–3799 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nn200133g
  11. K. M. Lee, C. Y. Hsu, P. Y. Chen, M. Ikegami, T. Miyasaka and K. C. Ho, “Highly porous PProDOT-Et2 film as counter electrode for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells”, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 11(18), 3375–3379 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/b823011k
  12. D. Zhang, X. Li, H. Li, S. Chen, Z. Sun, X. Yin and S. Huang, “Graphene-based counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells”, Carbon 49(15), 5382–5388 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2011.08.005
  13. Q. Jiang, G. Li, S. Liu and X. Gao, “Surface-nitrided nickel with bifunctional structure as low-cost counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells”, J. Phys. Chem. C 114(31), 13397–13401 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp1035184
  14. M. Wang, A. M. Anghel, B. Marsan, N. L. Cevey Ha, N. Pootrakulchote, S. M. Zakeeruddin and M. Grätzel, “CoS supersedes Pt as efficient electrocatalyst for triiodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131(44), 15976–15977 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja905970y
  15. H. Sun, D. Qin, S. Huang, X. Guo, D. Li, Y. Luo and Q. Meng, “Dye-sensitized solar cells with NiS counter electrodes electrodeposited by a potential reversal technique”, Energy Environ. Sci. 4(8), 2630–2637 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c0ee00791a
  16. M. Wu, X. Lin, A. Hagfeldt and T. Ma, “Low-cost molybdenum carbide and tungsten carbide counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 50(15), 3520–3524 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201006635
  17. H. Katagiri, K. Jimbo, W. S. Maw, K. Oishi, M. Yamazaki, H. Araki and A. Takeuchi, “Development of CZTS-based thin film solar cells”, Thin Solid Films 517(7), 2455–2460 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2008.11.002
  18. G. Zoppi, I. Forbes, R. Miles, P. J. Dale, J. J. Scragg and L. M. Peter, “Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin film solar cells produced by selenisation of magnetron sputtered precursors”, Prog. Photovoltaics 17(5), 315–319 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.886
  19. T. K. Todorov, K. B. Reuter and D. B. Mitzi, “High-efficiency solar cell with earth-abundant liquid-processed absorber”, Adv. Mater. 22(20), E156–E159 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.200904155
  20. X. Xin, M. He, W. Han, J. Jung and Z. Lin, “Low-cost copper zinc tin sulfide counter electrodes for high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 50(49), 11739–11742 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201104786
  21. Y. F. Du, J. Q. Fan, W. H. Zhou, Z. J. Zhou, J. Jiao and S. X. Wu, “One-step synthesis of stoichiometric Cu2ZnSnSe4 as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells”, ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 4(3), 1796–1802 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/am3000616
  22. J. Shi, Z. Li, D. Zhang, Q. Liu, Z. Sun and S. Huang, “Fabrication of Cu (In, Ga) Se2 thin films by sputtering from a single quaternary chalcogenide target”, Prog. Photovoltaics. 19(2), 160–164 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.1001
  23. X. Li, D. Zhang, S. Chen, H. Zhang, Z. Sun, S. Huang and X. Yin, “Dye-sensitized solar cells with higher Jsc by using polyvinylidene fluoride membrane counter electrodes”, Nano-Micro Lett. 3(3), 195–199 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.3786/nml.v3i3.p195-199
  24. H. Yoo and J. Kim, “Comparative study of Cu2ZnSnS4 film growth”, Sol. Energ. Mater. Sol. C 95(1), 239–244 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2010.04.060
  25. S. Han, M. Kong, Y. Guo and M. Wang, “Synthesis of copper indium sulfide nanoparticles by solvothermal method”, Mater. Lett. 63(13), 1192–1194 (2009). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2009.02.032
  26. C. Zou, L. Zhang, D. Lin, Y. Yang, Q. Li, X. Xu, X. Chen and S. Huang, “Facile synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals”, Cryst. Eng. Comm. 13(10), 3310–3313 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c0ce00631a
  27. J. He, L. Sun, S. Chen, Y. Chen, P. Yang and J. Chu, “Composition dependence of structure and optical properties of Cu2ZnSn (S, Se)4 solid solutions: An experimental study”, J. Alloy Compd. 511(1), 129–132 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2011.08.099
  28. C. Jiang, J. S. Lee and D. V. Talapin, “Soluble precursors for CuInSe2, CuIn1t−x GaxSe2, and Cu2ZnSn (S, Se)4 based on colloidal nanocrystals and molecular metal chalcogenide surface ligands”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134(11), 5010–5013 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja2105812
  29. D. Zhang, X. Li, S. Chen, F. Tao, Z. Sun, X. Yin and S. Huang, “Fabrication of double-walled carbon nanotube counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells”, J. Solid State Electrochem. 14(9), 1541–1546 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10008-009-0982-3
  30. J. Bisquert, “Theory of the impedance of electron diffusion and recombination in a thin layer”, J. Phys. Chem. B 106(2), 325–333 (2002). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp011941g
  31. A. Fillinger, D. Soltz and B. Parkinson, “Dye sensitization of natural anatase crystals with a ruthenium-based dye”, J. Solid State Electrochem. 149(9), A1146–A1156 (2002). http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.1495497
  32. Q. Wang, J. E. Moser and M. Grätzel, “Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis of dye-sensitized solar cells”, J. Phys. Chem. B 109(31), 14945–14953 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp052768h
  33. T. Hoshikawa, M. Yamada, R. Kikuchi and K. Eguchi, “Impedance analysis of internal resistance affecting the photoelectrochemical performance of dye-sensitized solar cells”, J. Solid State Electrochem. 152(2), E68–E73 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.184776
  34. C. Longo, J. Freitas and M. A. De Paoli, “Performance and stability of TiO2 dye solar cells assembled with flexible electrodes and a polymer electrolyte”, J. Photoch. Photobio. A 159(1), 33–39 (2003). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1010-6030(03)00106-0
  35. M. Bernard, H. Cachet, P. Falaras, A. Hugot-Le Goff, M. Kalbac, I. Lukes, N. Oanh, T. Stergiopoulos and I. Arabatzis, “Sensitization of TiO2 by Polypyridine Dyes Role of the Electron Donor”, J. Solid State Electr. 150(3), E155–E164 (2003). http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.1543951
  36. G. Zhu, L. Pan, T. Lu, T. Xu and Z. Sun, “Electrophoretic deposition of reduced graphene-carbon nanotubes composite films as counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells”, J. Mater. Chem. 21(38), 14869–14875 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c1jm12433a
  37. L. Han, N. Koide, Y. Chiba, A. Islam, R. Komiya, N. Fuke, A. Fukui and R. Yamanaka, “Improvement of efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells by reduction of internal resistance”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 86(21), 213501-213501-3 (2005). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1925773
  38. E. Ramasamy, W. J. Lee, D. Y. Lee and J. S. Song, “Nanocarbon counterelectrode for dye sensitized solar cells”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 90(17), 173103 (2007). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2731495
  39. A. R. Ko, J. K. Oh, Y. W. Lee, S. B. Han and K. W. Park, “Characterizations of tungsten carbide as a non-Pt counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells”, Mater. Lett. 65(14), 2220–2223 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2011.04.062
Read More
Author biographies are not available.
Download this PDF file
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 7016 Download : 5341