Produce of graphene/iron pyrite (FeS2) thin films counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell

• Published in: Materials letters 2016-12, Vol.185, p.584-587
• Main Authors: Kilic, Bayram, Turkdogan, Sunay, Ozer, Oguz Can, Asgin, Mansur, Bayrakli, Ozge, Surucu, Gokhan, Astam, Aykut, Ekinci, Duygu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coated electrodes; Counter electrode; DSSC; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Dyes; Electrodes; Electrolytic cells; Energy conversion efficiency; Graphene; Iron; Low cost; Materials science; Photovoltaic cells; Platinum; Pyrite; Pyrite (FeS2); Quantum efficiency; Solar cells; Thin films; Tin dioxide; Tio2; Titanium dioxide; Titanium oxides
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2016.06.069

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) provide a low cost alternative to the conventional solar cells due to their easy and inexpensive device fabrication steps. Generally, F:SnO2 (FTO) conductive glass with a thin layer coating of platinum (Pt) is used as a counter electrode (CE) in DSSCs. Since Pt is rare and therefore expensive metal, we were looking for a way to produce a new counter electrode based on graphene/iron pyrite (FeS2) thin films as an alternative to the Pt:FTO. In combination with a TiO2 mesoporous photoanode and an I3−/I- redox electrolyte, graphene/FeS2 CE based DSSC shows η=7.43% energy conversion efficiency under 1 sun illumination (100mW/cm2, AM 1.5G) which is approximately 16.1% higher than conventional Pt CE (η=6.40%). External Quantum Efficiency (EQE) is found to be shifted upward when graphene/FeS2 is used as CE in the place of Pt CE. The excellent performance of the graphene/FeS2 CE makes it a very promising alternative to costly Pt in DSSCs. [Display omitted] •Iron pyrite FeS2 were growth on graphene based FTO.•Graphene/FeS2 thin films were used as counter electrode (CE) in place of Pt in DSSC•The obtained Graphene/FeS2 counter electrode exhibited high electrocatalytic activities.•DSSCs using Graphene/FeS2 CE show an efficiency of η=7.43%.