NiS Nanoparticles/CdS Nanocrystals Hybrids Materials as Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

We successfully synthesized nickel sulfide (NiS) nanoparticles as well as Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystals by a facile solvothermal method. Considering the excellent electrical conductivity of CdS under irradiation and the high catalytic performance of NiS, NiS and CdS (NiS/CdS) hybrids with different ratio were used as counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). As is expected, the DSSC equipped with NiS/CdS hybrid CE produces a power conversion efficiency ( PCE ) of 6.6%, which is higher than that of platinum (6.3%), pure NiS (5.2%), and CdS (1.4%). The consequences demonstrate that NiS/CdS hybrids can serve as a high-efficiency catalytic material for CEs in DSSCs.