A transparent and Pt-free all-carbon nanocomposite counter electrode catalyst for efficient dye sensitized solar cells

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 193; pp. 568 - 575
• Main Authors: Gurulakshmi, M., Meenakshamma, A., Susmitha, K., Charanadhar, N., Srikanth, V.V.S.S., Narendra Babu, S., Venkata Subbaiah, Y.P., Venkateswarlu, Katta, Raghavender, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Ltd 15-11-2019; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Carbon; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Catalytic converters; Coating; Coatings; Cost effective composite counter electrode; Dye sensitized solar cell; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Dyes; Electric motors; Electrodes; Energy conversion efficiency; Fabrication; Fluorine; Glass substrates; Graphene; Modules; Nanocomposites; Photovoltaic cells; Reduced graphene oxide; Solar cells; Solar energy; Substrates; SWCNH; Tin; Tin oxide; Tin oxides; Transparent DSSC module; Cost effective composite counter electrode; SWCNH; Reduced graphene oxide; Transparent DSSC module; Dye sensitized solar cell
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2019.09.081

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•Cost effective, platinum free CE.•Nanocomposite counter electrode catalyst.•Transparent dye sensitized solar cell module.•Chemical free reduction of graphene oxide.•Efficient composite counter electrode revealed 8.27% efficiency.
Recently, substantial focus has made in the development of cost effective Pt-free dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this article we report a potential, Pt-free, carbon based nanocomposite as counter electrode catalyst for dye sensitized solar cells. Graphene oxide (GO) was made into reduced graphene oxide (SSrGO) by irradiating with light (Xe source). Suspension of SSrGO in DMF was spray coated onto fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate, followed by spray coat of single walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNH) suspension in DMF. SSrGO and SWCNH coated FTO glass substrate was investigated as an effective Pt-free composite counter electrode (CE) for DSSC and also showed the comparable catalytic activity with Pt. The test cell reveals power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.27%, whereas the DSSC module exhibited a PCE of 5.18%. By using the fabricated DSSC module, an electric motor (15 mW) was operated both in indoor and outdoor light conditions. The procedures followed in this work pave a way for the easy fabrication of composite CE towards transparent DSSC modules and further the integration of the DSSC module with the standard Si solar cell is of great potential for various real-time application.