SnSe counter electrode prepared by sputtering and selenization of tin for SnO2-based DSSC: The effect of selenization temperature
Source abstract
Abstract
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have received a lot of attention nowadays. One of the most essential parts of DSSC is the counter electrode (CE), which is usually made of platinum. Since platinum is an expensive material, we suggest using the SnSe electrode. By selenizing a layer of coated tin on glass thru sputtering, we obtained SnSe and used this layer as the counter electrode in a DSSC. We also used tin oxide as photoanode in the structure of the solar cell. By changing the selenization temperature, we improved the charge transport and electrocatalytic properties of the layer and optimized the solar cell performance. We also investigated the morphological properties of the layers with FESEM images. We used CV and EIS analyses to test the electrocatalytic and charge transport properties. Also, the current-voltage curve of the constructed cells reveals that the cell, which is made of the synthesized layer at 450 °C with an efficiency of 4.9%, gives us the best performance.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells · Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films · Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (38)
Show source-provided references
1. Ahmad MS, Pandey AK, Abd Rahim N (2017) Advancements in the development of TiO2 photoanodes and its fabrication methods for dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. A review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 77:89–10810.1016/j.rser.2017.03.129 ↗
2. Al-Ghussain L (2019) Global warming: review on driving forces and mitigation. Environ Prog Sustain Energy 38:13–2110.1002/ep.13041 ↗
3. Cai H, Li J, Wang R, Wu F, Tong X (2017) Copper-doped iron carbide as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Int J Electrochem Sci 12:8421–843110.20964/2017.09.50 ↗
4. Cao Y, Zhu X, Chen H, Zhang X, Zhouc J, Hu Z, Pang J (2019) Towards high efficiency inverted Sb2Se3 thin film solar cells. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 200:10994510.1016/j.solmat.2019.109945 ↗
5. Cao Y, Zhu X, Tong X, Zhou J, Ni J, Zhang J, Pang J (2020a) Ultrathin microcrystalline hydrogenated Si/Ge alloyed tandem solar cells towards full solar spectrum conversion. Front Chem Sci Eng 14:997–100510.1007/s11705-019-1906-0 ↗
6. Cao Y, Zhu X, Jiang J, Liu C, Zhou J, Ni J, Zhang J, Pang J (2020b) Rotational design of charge carrier transport layers for optimal antimony trisulfide solar cells and its integration in tandem devices. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 206:11027910.1016/j.solmat.2019.110279 ↗
7. Chu Z, Wang Y, Jiao L, Zhang X (2019) Laser-scribed reduced graphene oxide as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell. Fuller Nanotub Car N 27:914–91910.1080/1536383X.2019.1660648 ↗
8. Eslah S, Nouri M (2019) Synthesis and characterization of tungsten trioxide/polyaniline/polyacrylonitrile composite nanofibers for application as a counter electrode of DSSCs. Russ J Electrochem 55:291–30410.1134/S1023193519030054 ↗
9. Fan S, Guo F, Wu Z, Lv K, Shi C (2020) The pyrolysis preparation of porous Sb 2 S x Se 3-x thin films and photovoltaic performance of the corresponding solar cells. J Nanopart Res 22:1–710.1007/s11051-020-04911-w ↗
10. He B, Tang Q, Liang T, Li Q (2014) Efficient dye-sensitized solar cells from polyaniline–single wall carbon nanotube complex counter electrodes. J Mater Chem A 2:3119–312610.1039/c3ta14167e ↗
11. Huo J, Wu J, Zheng M, Tu Y, Lan Z (2016) Flower-like nickel cobalt sulfide microspheres modified with nickel sulfide as Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. J Power Sources 304:266–27210.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.11.062 ↗
12. Kilic B, Simsek EB, Turkdogan S, Demircivi P, Tuna Ö, Mucur SP, Berek D (2020) Carbon nanofiber based CuO nanorod counter electrode for enhanced solar cell performance and adsorptive photocatalytic activity. J Nanopart Res 22:1–1110.1007/s11051-020-4777-x ↗
13. Kumar DK, Popuri SR, Swami SK, Onuoha OR, Bos J-W, Chen B, Bennett N, Upadhyaya H (2019) Screen printed tin selenide films used as the counter electrodes in dye sensitized solar cells. Sol Energy 190:28–3310.1016/j.solener.2019.07.066 ↗
14. Li J, Yun S, Zhou X, Hou Y, Fang W, Zhang T, Liu Y (2018) Incorporating transition metals (Ta/Co) into nitrogen-doped carbon as counter electrode catalysts for dye-sensitized solar cells. Carbon 126:145–15510.1016/j.carbon.2017.10.010 ↗
15. Liu F, Zhu J, Xu Y, Zhou L, Li Y, Hu L, Yao J, Dai S (2015) SnX (X= S, Se) thin films as cost-effective and highly efficient counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Chem Commun 51:8108–811110.1039/C5CC00772K ↗
16. Mathew X, Santoyo E (2015) Second edition of the international symposium on renewable energy and sustainability (ISRES 2013). J Mater Sci Mater Electron 26:5525–552510.1007/s10854-014-2364-6 ↗
17. Mehmood U, Karim NA, Zahid HF, Asif T, Younas M (2019) Polyaniline/graphene nanocomposites as counter electrode materials for platinum free dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCSs). Mater Lett 256:12665110.1016/j.matlet.2019.126651 ↗
18. Mittemeijer EJ (2010) Fundamentals of materials science: the microstructure–property relationship using metals as model systems. Springer Science & Business Media10.1007/978-3-642-10500-5 ↗
19. Mohammadnejad S, Khalafi A, Ahmadi SM (2016) Mathematical analysis of total-cross-tied photovoltaic array under partial shading condition and its comparison with other configurations. Sol Energy 133:501–51110.1016/j.solener.2016.03.058 ↗
20. Molaei P, Kazeminezhad I (2019) One-step in situ synthesis of antimony sulfide/reduced graphene oxide composite as an absorber layer with enhanced photocurrent performances for solar cells. J Nanopart Res 21:1–1210.1007/s11051-019-4490-9 ↗
21. Moradi A, Abrari M, Ahmadi M (2020) Efficiency enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells through the decoration of electro-spun TiO 2 nanofibers with Ag nanoparticles. J Mater Sci Mater Electron 31(19):16759–1676810.1007/s10854-020-04231-8 ↗
22. Owusu PA, Asumadu-Sarkodie S (2016) A review of renewable energy sources, sustainability issues and climate change mitigation. Cogent Eng 3:116799010.1080/23311916.2016.1167990 ↗
23. Ramasamy P, Manivasakan P, Kim J (2015) Phase controlled synthesis of SnSe and SnSe 2 hierarchical nanostructures made of single crystalline ultrathin nanosheets. CrystEngComm 17:807–81310.1039/C4CE01868K ↗
24. Rao TP, Santhoshkumar M (2009) Highly oriented (1 0 0) ZnO thin films by spray pyrolysis. Appl Surf Sci 255:7212–721510.1016/j.apsusc.2009.03.065 ↗
25. Saeidi M, Abrari M, Ahmadi M (2019) Fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cell based on mixed tin and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Appl Phys A 125:40910.1007/s00339-019-2697-3 ↗
26. Saranya K, Subramania A, Sivasankar N, Mallick S (2016) Electrospun TiC embedded CNFs as a low cost platinum-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell. Mater Res Bull 75:83–9010.1016/j.materresbull.2015.11.028 ↗
27. Subalakshmi K, Kumar KA, Paul OP, Saraswathy S, Pandurangan A, Senthilselvan J (2019) Platinum-free metal sulfide counter electrodes for dssc applications: structural, electrochemical and power conversion efficiency analyses. Sol Energy 193:507–51810.1016/j.solener.2019.09.075 ↗
28. Sun Z, Peng Z, Liu Z, Chen J, Li W, Qiu W, Chen J (2020) Band energy modulation on Cu-doped Sb 2 S 3-based photoelectrodes for charge generation and transfer property of quantum dot–sensitized solar cells. J Nanopart Res 22:1–910.1007/s11051-019-4718-8 ↗
29. Tyagi K, Gahtori B, Bathula S, Singh NK, Bishnoi S, Auluck S, Srivastava AK, Dhar A (2016) Electrical transport and mechanical properties of thermoelectric tin selenide. RSC Adv 6:11562–1156910.1039/C5RA23742D ↗
30. Wu C-S, Chang T-W, Teng H, Lee Y-L (2016) High performance carbon black counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Energy 115:513–51810.1016/j.energy.2016.09.052 ↗
31. Wu X, Duan J, Zhao Y, Yang X, Chen H, He B, Tang Q (2019) Co/Se and Ni/Se nanocomposite films prepared by magnetron sputtering as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Sol Energy 180:85–9110.1016/j.solener.2019.01.022 ↗
32. Xu Q, Li M, Yan P, Wei C, Fang L, Wei W, Bao H, Xu J, Xu W (2016) Polypyrrole-coated cotton fabrics prepared by electrochemical polymerization as textile counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Org Electron 29:107–11310.1016/j.orgel.2015.11.007 ↗
33. Yang T, Zhang Z, Ding Y, Yin N, Liu X (2019) Nondestructive purification process for inorganic perovskite quantum dot solar cells. J Nanopart Res 21:1–810.1007/s11051-018-4445-6 ↗
34. Yuan X, Zhou B, Zhang X, Li Y, Liu L (2018) Hierarchical MoSe2 nanoflowers used as highly efficient electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochim Acta 283:1163–116910.1016/j.electacta.2018.06.092 ↗
35. Zatirostami A (2020a) A new electrochemically prepared composite counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Thin Solid Films 701:13792610.1016/j.tsf.2020.137926 ↗
36. Zatirostami A (2020b) Electro-deposited SnSe on ITO: a low-cost and high-performance counter electrode for DSSCs. J Alloys Compd 844:15615110.1016/j.jallcom.2020.156151 ↗
37. Zhou J, Zhang X, Chen H, Tang Z, Meng D, Chi K, Cai Y, Song G, Cao Y, Hu Z (2020) Dual-function of CdCl2 treated SnO2 in Sb2Se3 solar cells. Appl Surf Sci 534:14763210.1016/j.apsusc.2020.147632 ↗
38. Zhou J, Chen H, Zhang X, Chi K, Cai Y, Cao Y, Pang J (2021) Substrate dependence on (Sb4Se6) n ribbon orientations of antimony selenide thin films: Morphology, carrier transport and photovoltaic performance. J Alloys Compd 862:15870310.1016/j.jallcom.2021.158703 ↗