Issue 4, 2013

Pulse electrodeposition of CoS on MWCNT/Ti as a high performance counter electrode for a Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cell

Abstract

Because of the large specific surface area and superior electrical conductivity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the high electrocatalytic activity of cobalt sulfide (CoS), CoS/MWCNT hybrid films are deposited onto Ti foil substrates by sequential electrophoresis and pulse potentiostatic electrodeposition. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy observes that the surface of the MWCNTs is wrapped with a nano-honeycomb CoS thin film of ∼55 nm in thickness. Cyclic voltammograms, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel polarization characterization indicate that the CoS/MWCNT/Ti counter electrode (CE) has better electrocatalytic activity for I3 reduction than Pt CE. Under full sunlight illumination (100 mW cm−2, AM 1.5 G), the dye-sensitized solar cell based on the CoS/MWCNT/Ti CE achieves a power conversion efficiency of 8.05%, which exceeds that of the device based on Pt/Ti CE (6.39%).

Graphical abstract: Pulse electrodeposition of CoS on MWCNT/Ti as a high performance counter electrode for a Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cell

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Aug 2012
Accepted
05 Nov 2012
First published
05 Nov 2012

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013,1, 1289-1295

Pulse electrodeposition of CoS on MWCNT/Ti as a high performance counter electrode for a Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cell

Y. Xiao, J. Wu, J. Lin, S. Tai and G. Yue, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013, 1, 1289 DOI: 10.1039/C2TA00073C

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