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Masud, Aftabuzzaman M, Zhou H, Kim S, Yi J, Park SS, Kim YS, Kim HK. Chemically synthesized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) conducting polymer as a robust electrocatalyst for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:13874-13884. [PMID: 38990512 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00949e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Chemically synthesized PEDOT (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)) nanomaterials, with various nanostructured morphologies as well as different intrinsic electrical conductivities and crystallinities, were compared as electrocatalysts for Co(III) reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Electrochemical parameters, charge transfer resistance toward the electrode/electrolyte interface, catalytic activity for Co(III)-reduction, and diffusion of cobalt redox species greatly depend on the morphology, crystallinity, and intrinsic electrical conductivity of the chemically synthesized PEDOTs and optimization of the fabrication procedure for counter electrodes. The PEDOT counter electrode, fabricated by spin coating a DMSO-dispersed PEDOT solution with an ordered 1D structure and nanosized fibers averaging 70 nm in diameter and an electrical conductivity of ∼16 S cm-1, exhibits the lowest charge transfer resistance, highest diffusion for a cobalt redox mediator and superior electrocatalytic performance compared to a traditional Pt-counter electrode. The photovoltaic performance of the DSSC using chemically synthesized PEDOT exceeds that of a Pt-electrode device because of the enhanced current density, which is directly related to the superior electrocatalytic ability of PEDOT for Co(III)-reduction. This simple spin-coated counter electrode prepared using cheap and scalable chemically synthesized PEDOT can be a potential alternative to the expensive Pt-counter electrode for cobalt and other redox electrolytes in DSSCs and various flexible electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masud
- Global GET-Future Lab., Department of Advanced Materials Chemistry, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 339-700, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, Republic of Korea
| | - Md Aftabuzzaman
- Global GET-Future Lab., Department of Advanced Materials Chemistry, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 339-700, Republic of Korea.
| | - Haoran Zhou
- Global GET-Future Lab., Department of Advanced Materials Chemistry, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 339-700, Republic of Korea.
- Renewable Energy Materials Laboratory (REML), Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon 16229, Republic of Korea
| | - Saehyun Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jaekyung Yi
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Sarah S Park
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Youn Soo Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hwan Kyu Kim
- Global GET-Future Lab., Department of Advanced Materials Chemistry, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 339-700, Republic of Korea.
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Chang CY, Kaur N, Prado-Rivera R, Lai CY, Radu D. Size-Controlled Cu 3VSe 4 Nanocrystals as Cathode Material in Platinum-Free Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:13719-13728. [PMID: 38459614 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
In this work, we report the first single-step, size-controlled synthesis of Cu3VSe4 cuboidal nanocrystals, with the longest dimension ranging from 9 to 36 nm, and their use in replacing the platinum counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. Cu3VSe4, a ternary semiconductor from the class of sulvanites, is theoretically predicted to have good hole mobility, making it a promising candidate for charge transport in solar photovoltaic devices. The identity and crystalline purity of the Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals were validated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The particle size was determined from the XRD data using the Williamson-Hall equation and was found in agreement with the transmission electron microscopy imaging. Based on the electrochemical activity of the Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals, studied by cyclic voltammetry, the nanomaterials were further employed for fabricating counter electrodes (CEs) in Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cells. The counter electrodes were prepared from Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals as thin films, and the charge transfer kinetics were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The work demonstrates that Cu3VSe4 counter electrodes successfully replace platinum in DSSCs. CEs fabricated with the Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals having an average particle size of 31.6 nm outperformed Pt, leading to DSSCs with the highest power conversion efficiency (5.93%) when compared with those fabricated with the Pt CE (5.85%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Yu Chang
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Navdeep Kaur
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Roberto Prado-Rivera
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Cheng-Yu Lai
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Daniela Radu
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
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Pervaiz H, Khan ZS, Shahzad N, Ali G, Iqbal N, Javed S. Fabrication of cellulose paper-based counter electrodes for flexible dye-sensitized solar cells. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:428-438. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04358k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Flexible DSSCs made with paper-based counter electrodes. The PCE of the produced FDSSC based on low-cost hierarchical structured CuInS2/PEDOT: PSS/Cellulose paper counter electrode is 1.06%, which is comparable to Pt/Paper-based FDSSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hina Pervaiz
- U.S.-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Sector, 44000 Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Zuhair S. Khan
- U.S.-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Sector, 44000 Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nadia Shahzad
- U.S.-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Sector, 44000 Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Ali
- U.S.-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Sector, 44000 Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Naseem Iqbal
- U.S.-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Sector, 44000 Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sofia Javed
- School of Chemical and Materials Engineering (SCME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
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Sangiorgi N, Sangiorgi A, Sanson A. Title: Seawater-based electrolytes facilitate charge transfer mechanisms improving the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2022.116352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Yu Y, Li N, Wang C, Cheng Z, Yan B, Chen G, Hou L, Wang S. Iron cobalt and nitrogen co-doped carbonized wood sponge for peroxymonosulfate activation: Performance and internal temperature-dependent mechanism. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 619:267-279. [PMID: 35397460 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.03.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The directional regulation of oxidation capacity in the carbon-based peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation system is a promising strategy for wastewater purification. In this work, a novel iron cobalt and nitrogen co-doped carbonized wood sponge (FeCoNCWS) was developed. A superb catalytic performance for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation (∼100.0%) was obtained within 30 min in FeCoNCWS800/PMS system at 60 °C. Besides, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribution was verified at different reaction temperatures. Specifically, the primary roles of sulfate and hydroxyl radicals (SO4- and OH) in SMX removal weakened, while the secondary role of singlet oxygen (1O2) in SMX degradation was enhanced with the rise of reaction temperature in FeCoNCWS800/PMS system. Interestingly, defects, graphitic N and carbonyl (CO) groups were vital active sites for PMS activation to produce 1O2, which was facilitated at higher reaction temperature. Besides, the metal sites were identified as PMS activators for SO4- and OH generation, which was promoted under lower reaction temperature. The findings revealed a novel internal temperature-dependent PMS activation mechanism, which can help to regulate the oxidation capacity of PMS activation system rationally for pollutant degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- Tianjin International Engineering Institute, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ning Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering/Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Bio Gas/Oil Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Chuanbin Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering/Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Bio Gas/Oil Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Zhanjun Cheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering/Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Bio Gas/Oil Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Beibei Yan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering/Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Bio Gas/Oil Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Guanyi Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering/Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Bio Gas/Oil Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute, Tianjin University, Shenzhen 518071, China
| | - Li'an Hou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering/Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Bio Gas/Oil Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shaobin Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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Effect of ZnO Nanomaterial and Red and Green Cabbage Dyes on the Performance of Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells. COATINGS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/coatings11091057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Visible light can be converted into electricity using dye sensitised solar cells (DSSCs), with their performance mainly based on the type of dye used as a sensitiser. Currently, dyes extracted from natural sources are highly preferred by researchers in this field. Natural dyes reduce the high cost of metal complex sensitisers and replace expensive processes of chemical synthesis with simple extraction processes. Natural dyes are environmentally friendly, abundant, easily extractable, and safe. Their application has become a promising development in DSSC technology. In this study, two natural dyes extracted from the plant leaves of green cabbage (GC) and red cabbage (RC) that were used as sensitisers. The performance characteristics of RC and GC extracts were investigated using both cyclic voltammetry and amperometry methods for solar cell detection. At an extraction temperature of 60 °C maintained for 8 h under optimum conditions, the measured values of maximum power (Pm), fill factor (FF), and efficiency (η) were 1.36 mW/cm2, 92.34%, and 0.161% for RC, and 0.349 mW/cm2, 44.19%, and 0.095% for GC, respectively. The RC and GC extracts exhibited excellent electrochemical performance with respect to current density potential and good cycling stability.
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Preparation of Co9S8 nanostructure with double comb copolymer derived mesoporous carbon for solar energy conversion catalyst. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2021.115384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Mahmoud SA, Mohamed FE, El-Sadek BM, Elsawy MM, Bendary SH. Specific capacitance of CoS encapsulated g-C3N4 core shell nanocomposite as extremely efficient counter electrode in quantum dots solar cells. J Solid State Electrochem 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10008-021-04992-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Gunasekaran A, Chen HY, Ponnusamy VK, Sorrentino A, Anandan S. Synthesis of high polydispersity index polylactic acid and its application as gel electrolyte towards fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells. JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10965-021-02615-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Sahare S, A SK, Bhave T, Abhyankar A. Novel cost-effective and electrocatalytically active intermetallic nickel aluminide counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells. NANO EXPRESS 2020. [DOI: 10.1088/2632-959x/abcbd7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The very high cost, scarcity and dissolubility of platinum (Pt) is the center of debates as a counter electrode (CE) in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) research domain. To deal with such core issues, herein, novel low-cost and electro-catalytically active inter-metallic nickel aluminide (Ni3Al) thin films have been fabricated successfully on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature. For the first time, Ni3Al has been utilized as a CE for DSSCs application. Further, the solar cell performance of Ni3Al based DSSC has compared with the sputtered coated Pt thin film based DSSC performance. Under open atmospheric experimental preparation conditions (in air), a maximum power conversion efficiency of 3% has been achieved with Ni3Al CE. The obtained efficiency is quite analogous to a DSSC fabricated with a Pt CE. Further, as-fabricated Ni3Al CEs have exhibited better electrochemical catalytic activity and anti-corrosion effect than that of sputtered Pt CEs. The low-cost and excellent electrocatalytic properties of intermetallic Ni3Al thin films may pave the way towards development of Pt-free CE for DSSCs.
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Progress of MOF-Derived Functional Materials Toward Industrialization in Solar Cells and Metal-Air Batteries. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10080897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The cutting-edge photovoltaic cells are an indispensable part of the ongoing progress of earth-friendly plans for daily life energy consumption. However, the continuous electrical demand that extends to the nighttime requires a prior deployment of efficient real-time storage systems. In this regard, metal-air batteries have presented themselves as the most suitable candidates for solar energy storage, combining extra lightweight with higher power outputs and promises of longer life cycles. Scientific research over non-precious functional catalysts has always been the milestone and still contributing significantly to exploring new advanced materials and moderating the cost of both complementary technologies. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-derived functional materials have found their way to the application as storage and conversion materials, owing to their structural variety, porous advantages, as well as the tunability and high reactivity. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of the latest progress of MOF-based materials operating in metal-air batteries and photovoltaic cells.
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