Graphene-embedded carbon nanofibers decorated with Pt nanoneedles for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

5Graphene-embedded carbon nanofibers (GCNFs) were developed as a new counter electrode nanomaterial for higher efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). GCNFs were produced by electrospinning polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with graphene nanoplatelets followed by stabilization and carbonization. GCNFs decorated with surface-attached platinum nanoneedles (GCNFs-PtNNs) were 10 subsequently prepared by redox reaction and then deposited onto fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass to make counter electrode for DSCs. Graphene inside carbon nanofibers and Pt nanoneedles on the surface demonstrated synergistic effects on improving DSC performance. Compared to DSCs with conventional planar Pt counter electrode, the DSCs with GCNFs-PtNNs significantly improved the energy conversion efficiency from ~ 8.63% to ~ 9.70% using a mask under AM1.5 illumination. This is the highest 15 conversion efficiency so far with carbon nanofiber based counter electrode. 65 2. Experimental Materials Polyacryonitrile (PAN), N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), chloroplatinic acid (H 2 PtCl 6 ), formic acid (HCOOH), TiCl 4 liquid (≥ 99.0%), and Titanium diisopropoxide bis(acetylacetonate) (75 70 wt.% in 2-propanol) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (St. Louis, MO). Graphene nanoplatelet particles (C-750) were purchased from XG Sciences, Inc. (Lansing, MI). Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates were ordered from Hartford Glasses. Nanocrystalline TiO 2 (Ti-Nanoxide HT/SP), 75scattering TiO 2 (Ti-Nanooxide R/SP), and N719 dye (Ruthenizer 535-bisTBA) were purchased from Solaronix. All materials were used as received except that TiCl 4 was diluted in deionized water (DI) to prepare a 40 mM aqueous solution. Preparation of TiO 2 photoanode 80FTO substrates were cleaned with detergent, deionized (DI) water, acetone, and 2-propanol in an ultrasonic bath for 10 min each. The cleaned FTO was first immersed in 40 mM TiCl 4 aqueous solution at 70 °C for 30 min, then cleaned with DI water DSCs, 15.2 mA·cm -2 for GCNFs based DSCs, and 18.56 mA·cm -2 for GCNFs-PtNNs based DSCs. These values were very close to corresponding values from J-V analysis and further confirmed measurements of power conversion efficiency.

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Low Cost Carbon Nanotubes Electrodes

“…Comparing the experimental data recently published by Elbohy et al [57] to the typical Pt-counter electrodes or carbon nanotubes counter electrodes, the carbon fiber SDDC has higher electrocatalytic efficiency and photovoltaic performance. This is attributed to its low electrical resistance of charge transfer and to high interfacial area.…”

To investigate opulence of graphene in ZnO/graphene nanocomposites based dye sensitized solar cells

“…Therefore, an alternate photovoltaic technology is mandatory and there is a need to develop low cost photovoltaic cells for the mass production. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been recognized as next generation solar technology due to lower production cost, high conversion efficiency, easy manufacturing and eco-friendly nature [2][3][4][5][6]. The fabrication cost of DSSCs is about 1/3 to 1/5 times lower to the cost for silicon solar cells.…”

Efficiency Enhancement in Plasmonic Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Employing High Performance TiO2 Photoanode Doped with Silver Nanoparticles

“…The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), initially reported by O'regan and Grfitzeli (1991) have attracted much interest of the scientists and researchers as next-generation alternative potential photovoltaic technology to the traditional silicon-based owing to their manufacturing ease, low price, reasonable efficiency, unique applications, design flexibility and clean source of renewable energy (Elbohy et al, 2015;Toor et al, 2016;Shah et al, 2017; A DSSC comprises of a photoanode typically a mesoporous wide band semiconducotor film deposited on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass which is sensitized with a dye, an electrolyte consisting of redox coupled solution and a counter electrode commonly consisting of a platinum coated conductive glass substrate (Nazeeruddin et al, 2011). To make a device, the two electrodes are joined together and electrolyte is injected in between.…”

“…Knowledge of the substantial parameters affecting photovoltaic response of the solar cells are required for the designing, replication and their improvement (Ishibashi et al, 2008;Kyaw et al, 2012;Elbohy et al, 2015). In this work, photovoltaic performance of the plasmonic DSSC employing high performance TiO2 photoanode doped with silver nanoparticles is carried out.…”