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

Abstract:

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.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 347-353)
• Pages: 390-393
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.347-353.390
• Online since: October 2011
• Authors: Shun Jian Xu, Yu Feng Luo, Wei Zhong, Guan Jun Qiao
• Keywords: Conductor Paste, Counter Electrode, Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC), Low-Temperature, Nanoporous Carbon

References

[1] B. O'Regan and M. Grätzel: Nature Vol. 353 (1991), p.737

[2] T.N. Murakami, S. Ito, Q. Wang, M.K. Nazeeruddin, T. Bessho and I. Cesar: J. Electrochem. Soc. Vol. 153 (2006), p. A2255

[3] C.K.N. Peh, L. Ke and G.W. Ho: Mater. Lett. Vol. 64 (2010), p.1372

[4] T.C. Wei, C.C. Wan and Y.Y. Wang: Appl. Phys. Lett. Vol. 88 (2006), p.103122

[5] A. Kay and M. Gräetzel: Sol. Energ. Mat. Sol. C. Vol. 44 (1996), p.99

[6] T.N. Murakami and M. Grätzel: Inorg. Chim. Acta Vol. 361 (2008), p.572

[7] K. Imoto, K. Takahashi, T. Yamaguchi, T. Komura, J. Nakamura and K. Murata: Sol. Energ. Mat. Sol. C. Vol. 79 (2003), p.459

[8] Z. Huang, X.H. Liu, K.X. Li, D.M. Li, Y.H. Luo and H. Li: Electrochem. Commun. Vol. 9 (2007), p.596

[9] K.X. Li, Y.H. Luo, Z.X. Yu, M.H. Deng, D.M. Li and Q.B. Meng: Electrochem. Commun. Vol. 11 (2009), p.1346

[10] S.Q. Fan, B. Fang, J.H. Kim, B. Jeong, C. Kim and J.S. Yu: Langmuir Vol. 26 (2010), p.13644

[11] G.Q. Wang, W. Xing and S.P. Zhuo : J. Power Sources Vol. 194 (2009), p.568

[12] E. Ramasamy, J. Chun and J. Lee: Carbon Vol. 48 (2010), p.4556

[13] E. Ramasamy and J. Lee: Carbon Vol. 48 (2010), p.3715

[14] S.J Xu, J.Li, G.J. Qiao, H.J. Wang and T.J. Lu: Carbon Vol. 47 (2009), p.2103

[15] S.S. Kim, Y.C. Nah, Y.Y. Noh, J. J. and D.Y. Kim: Electrochim. Acta Vol. 51 (2006), p.3814

[16] A. Hauch and A. Georg: Electrochim. Acta Vol. 46 (2001), p.3457