Issue 6, 2014

Bi2S3microspheres grown on graphene sheets as low-cost counter-electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

In this work, we synthesized 3D Bi2S3 microspheres comprised of nanorods grown along the (211) facet on graphene sheets by a solvothermal route, and investigated its catalytic activities through IV curves and conversion efficiency tests as the CE in DSSCs. Although the (211) facet has a large band gap for a Bi2S3 semiconductor, owing to the introduction of graphene into the system, its short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and efficiency were Jsc = 12.2 mA cm−2, Voc = 0.75 V, FF = 0.60, and η = 5.5%, respectively. By integrating it with graphene sheets, our material achieved the conversion efficiency of 5.5%, which is almost triple the best conversion efficiency value of the DSSCs with (211)-faceted 3D Bi2S3 without graphene (1.9%) reported in the latest literature. Since this conversion-efficient 3D material grown on the graphene sheets significantly improves its catalytic properties, it paves the way for designing and applying low-cost Pt-free CE materials in DSSC from inorganic nanostructures.

Graphical abstract: Bi2S3microspheres grown on graphene sheets as low-cost counter-electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Nov 2013
Accepted
13 Dec 2013
First published
20 Dec 2013

Nanoscale, 2014,6, 3283-3288

Author version available

Bi2S3microspheres grown on graphene sheets as low-cost counter-electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells

G. Li, X. Chen and G. Gao, Nanoscale, 2014, 6, 3283 DOI: 10.1039/C3NR06093D

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