Issue 13, 2014

A review on counter electrode materials in dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) present promising low-cost alternatives to the conventional silicon (Si)-based solar cells. A DSC consists of several components, the most prominent being a titanium dioxide/metal oxide-based photoanode, a dye, an electrolyte and a counter electrode. The photoexcited electrons from the dye diffuse through the TiO2 network in the photoanode and go to the counter electrode which generally consists of platinum (Pt) sputtered onto a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) plate. The Pt in the counter electrode helps in the regeneration of dyes by catalysing the I regeneration from the I3 species in the redox couple. The morphology of Pt, its surface roughness, nature of the exposed facet, etc. play a crucial role in determining the overall efficiency of a DSC device. With Pt being a costly noble metal, reasonable efforts have been made to find cheaper alternatives. The review presented below gives a succinct summary of the materials in use as counter electrodes in DSCs, with a conclusion and future prospects section.

Graphical abstract: A review on counter electrode materials in dye-sensitized solar cells

Article information

Article type
Feature Article
Submitted
26 aug 2013
Accepted
31 okt 2013
First published
01 nov 2013

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014,2, 4474-4490

A review on counter electrode materials in dye-sensitized solar cells

S. Thomas, T. G. Deepak, G. S. Anjusree, T. A. Arun, S. V. Nair and A. S. Nair, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2, 4474 DOI: 10.1039/C3TA13374E

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