Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026
09:30
Electrospinning of Photocatalytic Electrodes for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
Published on: June 28, 2017
10.1K
Highly effective carbon sphere counter electrodes based on different substrates for dye-sensitized solar cell
Qianji Han1, Hongrui Wang1, Yali Liu1
1College of Chemistry and Material Science, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nano-materials of Hebei Province, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Rd. East of 2nd Ring South, Yuhua District, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei 050024, China.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|July 31, 2017
Summary
Monodisperse carbon spheres were synthesized for versatile counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC). These electrodes, on various substrates, show high catalytic activity and conductivity, leading to efficient power conversion.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) require efficient counter electrodes for optimal performance.
- Carbon-based materials offer potential due to their catalytic activity and conductivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize monodisperse carbon spheres for use as counter electrodes in DSCs.
- To investigate the influence of different substrates on the performance of carbon sphere counter electrodes.
- To evaluate the catalytic activity and conductivity of the synthesized carbon spheres.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of monodisperse carbon spheres.
- Fabrication of counter electrodes on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass, indium-doped tin oxide polyethylenena phthalate (ITO-PEN), and Ti foil substrates.
- Electrochemical analysis including cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel polarization curves.
- Performance evaluation of DSCs with cobalt electrolyte.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized uniform, highly catalytic, and conductive monodisperse carbon spheres.
- Carbon sphere counter electrodes on FTO glass, ITO-PEN, and Ti foil yielded power conversion efficiencies of 8.57%, 6.66%, and 9.10%, respectively.
- Substrate choice significantly impacts catalytic activity, determined by cobalt redox couple regeneration kinetics.
Conclusions:
- Monodisperse carbon spheres are effective catalysts for counter electrodes in DSCs.
- The choice of substrate is critical for maximizing the efficiency of carbon sphere-based counter electrodes.
- The catalytic performance is directly related to the apparent activation energy of the cobalt redox couple regeneration.
