Issue 38, 2019

Optimizing graphene content in a NiSe/graphene nanohybrid counter electrode to enhance the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Nickel selenide (NiSe) nanoparticles were grown on graphene nanosheets (GN) with different mass ratios to obtain their corresponding NiSe/GNx (x = 0.25 to 1.00) nanohybrids by a facile in situ hydrothermal process to integrate the advantages of the high specific surface area of graphene and the homogeneously immobilized catalytic sites of NiSe. The nanohybrid with a mass ratio of 1 : 0.50 (i.e., NiSe/GN0.50) exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity and electrolyte diffusion. Thus, NiSe/GN0.50 exhibited an improved photo-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12% (η = 8.62%) compared to a standard Pt (η = 7.68%)-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). This improved PCE mainly originated from the catalytic ability of NiSe and the multiple interfacial electron transfer pathways of graphene, resulting in enhanced charge transfer and fast tri-iodide reduction kinetics at the counter electrode/electrolyte interface. The results obtained from the cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical AC-impedance (EIS) and Tafel polarization studies validated the synergistic effects of NiSe and GN and the high potential of this nanohybrid as an efficient counter electrode (CE) for DSSCs.

Graphical abstract: Optimizing graphene content in a NiSe/graphene nanohybrid counter electrode to enhance the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
16 avq 2019
Accepted
08 sen 2019
First published
09 sen 2019

Nanoscale, 2019,11, 17579-17589

Optimizing graphene content in a NiSe/graphene nanohybrid counter electrode to enhance the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

V. Murugadoss, J. Lin, H. Liu, X. Mai, T. Ding, Z. Guo and S. Angaiah, Nanoscale, 2019, 11, 17579 DOI: 10.1039/C9NR07060E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements