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Investigation of suitable binder combination and electrochemical charge transfer dynamics of vanadium carbide nanoparticles-based counter electrode in Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cell

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Abstract

We have fabricated vanadium carbide counter electrode (CE), and we have investigated suitable binder combination (conductive carbon/N-methyl pyrrolidone (CC/NMP), NMP, CC/IPA (isopropanol)) material for increasing bonding strength, crack-free coated films, high conductivity and highly catalytic activity functions on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate for the redox reaction at the counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The power conversion efficiency of 3.9% is obtained for vanadium carbide–CC/NMP binder, comparable performance to the traditional Pt-based CE (4.0%). Based on the electrochemical investigation and current–voltage measurement, the comparable efficiency was achieved by the higher current density (J sc) and lower charge transfer resistance (R ct) due to the CC/NMP binder which is increasing bonding strength between CE materials and FTO. The present investigations open promising ways to the further movement for substantial amount of production of traditional Pt-free DSSC.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank A. Narayanan, Technical officer, Department of chemistry, IIT Madras, for BET surface area analysis and Arul Maximus Rabel, Sathyabama University, for FESEM and EDS measurements. We would like to thank Mr. Vijayaragavan, PSG Institute of Advanced Studies, for HRTEM and SAED measurement. We also thank Dr. A. Ramar, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, for fruitful discussions. Financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, under research Grant No. DST/TM/SERI/2k12/40(G) is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SSN Research Centre, SSN College of Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603 110, India

    Paranthaman Vijayakumar, Rajamanickam Govindaraj, Narendhiran Santhosh, Muthu Senthil Pandian & Perumalsamy Ramasamy

  2. Electrochemical Materials Science, Functional Materials Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, 630003, India

    Alagarsamy Pandikumar

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  1. Paranthaman Vijayakumar
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  2. Rajamanickam Govindaraj
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Correspondence to Paranthaman Vijayakumar.

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Vijayakumar, P., Govindaraj, R., Santhosh, N. et al. Investigation of suitable binder combination and electrochemical charge transfer dynamics of vanadium carbide nanoparticles-based counter electrode in Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cell. J Mater Sci 53, 4444–4455 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1843-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1843-6

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