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Updated: May 7, 2026
Electrospinning of Photocatalytic Electrodes for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
Published on: June 28, 2017
Electrospun TiC/C nano-felt surface-decorated with Pt nanoparticles as highly efficient and cost-effective counter
Yong Zhao1, Amit Thapa, Quan Feng
1Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 East Saint Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA. Hao.Fong@sdsmt.edu.
Abstract:
Electrospun nano-felt consisting of overlaid TiC/C composite nanofibers was surface-decorated with Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) for use as highly efficient and cost-effective counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In the nanofibers, the self-generated TiC crystallites (~70 wt%) with sizes of ~20 nm were randomly embedded in carbon (~30 wt%). Upon surface-decoration, most Pt NPs were distributed on TiC crystallites, leading to substantial enhancement in the electrocatalytic activity/efficiency of Pt due to the strong interaction between Pt and TiC as well as the resulting synergetic effect on electrocatalysis. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the TiC/C-Pt CE exhibited low charge transfer resistance (Rct), large capacitance (C), and fast reaction rate towards the reduction of I3(-) ions, and the prototype DSSC exhibited a performance comparable to that with conventional Pt CE in terms of short circuit current density (Jsc), open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), and energy conversion efficiency (η).
