Issue 15, 2025

Petroleum coke-derived graphene as a low-cost electrode material for efficient perovskite solar cells

Abstract

We present a cost-effective approach for converting petroleum coke into high-quality graphene via thermal desulfurization followed by electrochemical exfoliation. The synthesized graphene exhibited structural integrity and optoelectronic properties comparable to those of graphite-derived materials. Integrated as rear electrodes in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the petcoke-derived graphene enabled devices to achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of approximately 19.1%, with an open-circuit voltage (Voc) exceeding 1.13 V and a fill factor (FF) of ∼78%. The petcoke-derived graphene PSCs exhibited superior photovoltaic performance compared to those fabricated with commercial graphene, and demonstrated comparable efficiency to devices employing conventional gold electrodes. These findings highlight the potential of waste-derived graphene as a scalable, sustainable, and economically viable alternative to noble metal contacts, aligning with circular economy principles and advancing low-cost photovoltaic technologies.

Graphical abstract: Petroleum coke-derived graphene as a low-cost electrode material for efficient perovskite solar cells

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Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 May 2025
Accepted
22 Jun 2025
First published
23 Jun 2025
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale Adv., 2025,7, 4710-4720

Petroleum coke-derived graphene as a low-cost electrode material for efficient perovskite solar cells

M. Alkhatani, M. M. Almutairi, M. H. Alalwan, H. K. Algharash, R. A. Aldossary, Y. A. Alzahrani, S. Alenzi, I. S. Almalki, G. S. Yafi, A. M. Alessa, F. S. Alghannam, A. Aljuwayr, N. K. Al-Saleem, A. Alanazi and M. Almalki, Nanoscale Adv., 2025, 7, 4710 DOI: 10.1039/D5NA00441A

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