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Bimetal (Ni–Co) nanoparticles-incorporated electrospun carbon nanofibers as an alternative counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

Counter electrode (CE) plays an important role in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Electron transfer from external circuit to redox couple is mediated and facilitated by it to complete the DSSC circuit. Platinum (Pt) is widely employed as CE in DSSCs. However, due to its high cost and scarcity, efforts are being made to replace Pt. In this study, a bimetal (Ni–Co) nanoparticles-incorporated carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are prepared by electrospinning technique and used as CE material for DSSC applications. The morphology of prepared CNFs is characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope studies. The structural properties are confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies. The electrochemical characterization of Ni–Co nanoparticles-incorporated CNFs is carried out using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance and Tafel polarization studies and compared with CNFs and std. Pt. The photo-conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSC assembled with Ni–Co nanoparticles-incorporated CNFs as CE is very nearer to that of the same assembled with std. Pt as CE. Hence, Ni–Co nanoparticles-incorporated CNFs can be used as a cost-effective alternative CE for DSSCs.

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Acknowledgments

One of the authors Dr. AS thanks the Pondicherry University for the financial support under Start-up Research Grant (Ref. No. PU/PC/start-up/2011-12/310), and the authors thank the CIF of Pondicherry University for extending the instrumentation facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrochemical Energy Research Lab, Centre for Nanoscience and Technology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605 014, India

    Md. Rameez, K. Saranya & A. Subramania

  2. Department of Sustainable Chemical Science and Technology, Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan

    Md. Rameez

  3. Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Mumbai, 400076, India

    N. Sivasankar & S. Mallick

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  1. Md. Rameez
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  2. K. Saranya
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  3. A. Subramania
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  4. N. Sivasankar
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  5. S. Mallick
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Correspondence to A. Subramania.

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Rameez, M., Saranya, K., Subramania, A. et al. Bimetal (Ni–Co) nanoparticles-incorporated electrospun carbon nanofibers as an alternative counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Appl. Phys. A 122, 71 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9577-2

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