Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Strategy to improve photovoltaic performance of DSSC sensitized by using novel nanostructured La dopped TiO2-graphene electrodes

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A novel series of La/TiO2-graphene (GLT) materials were synthesized, and then used in the production of counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The electrode properties of various CEs were comprehensively analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. DSSCs, based on various CEs, were characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. DSSCs fabricated using the La/TiO2-graphene nanocomposite CEs yielded an efficiency of 6.75%. The La/TiO2-graphene CEs exhibited efficient electrocatalytic capability, because catalytic La particles were uniformly distributed on the surface of graphene. Moreover, we also demonstrated the effect of a thin compact layer in DSSCs by their architecture with various amounts of graphene materials. The results indicated that a DSSC with a La/TiO2-graphene CE can exhibit an efficiency comparable to that of a platinum (Pt) CE DSSC, and can therefore replace conventional Pt CE DSSCs, to lower the cost of solar cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. K.G. Deepa, P. Lekha, S. Sindhu, Sol. Energy 86, 326 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. K.K. Tehare, S.S. Bhande, S.U. Mutkule, F.J. Stadler, J.P. Ao, R.S. Mane, X. Liu, J. Alloys Compd. 704, 187 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. H. Changa, C.H. Chen, M.J. Kao, S.H. Chien, C.Y. Chou, Appl. Surf. Sci. 275, 252 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. S. Mandal, S. Kushwaha, R. Mukkamala, V.K. Siripina, I.S. Aidhen, B. Rajakumar, R. Kothandaraman, Org. Electron 36, 177 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. S. Çakar, M. Ozacar, Spectrochim. Acta, Part A 163, 79 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. N. Mohammadi, P.J. Mahon, F. Wang, J. Mol. Graph. Model. 40, 64 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. R. Sirohi, D.H. Kim, S.C. Yu, S.H. Lee, Dyes Pigm. 92, 1132 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. J. Zhang, M. Yu, S. Li, Y. Meng, X. Wu, J. Liu, J. Power Sour. 334, 44 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. E. Nosheen, S.M. Shah, Z. Iqbal, J. Photochem. Photobiol. B 167, 117 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. J. Cao, Y. Zhu, X. Yang, Y. Chen, Y. Li, H. Xiao, W. Hou, J. Liu, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 157, 814 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. M. Giannouri, M. Bidikoudi, L.M. Martínez, A.M.T. Silva, Electrochim. Acta 219, 258 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. S.B.A. Hamid, S.J. Teh, C.W. Lai, S. Perathoner, G. Centi, J. Energy Chem. 000, 1 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  13. A.A. Ghamdi, R.K. Gupta, P.K. Kahol, S. Wageh, Y.A. Turki, W.E. Shirbeeny, F. Yakuphanoglu, Solid State Commun. 183, 56 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. H. Ding, S. Zhang, J.T. Chen, X.P. Hu, Z.F. Du, Y.X. Qiu, D.L. Zhao, Thin Solid Films 584, 29 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. X. Xu, B. Feng, G. Zhou, Z. Bao, J. Hu, Mater. Des. 101, 95 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. H. Zhang, W. Wang, H. Liu, R. Wang, Y. Chen, Z. Wang, Mater. Res. Bull. 49, 126 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Z. Shen, G. Wang, H. Tian, J. Sunarso, L. Liu, J. Liu, S. Liu, Electrochim. Acta 216, 429 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. P. Zhanga, Z. Hu, Y. Wang, Y. Qin, X.W. Sun, W. Li, J. Wang, Appl. Surf. Sci. 368, 403 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. K.J. Lee, J.S. Hwang, Y.S. Han, J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 50, 96 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. J. Zhang, X. Zhang, S. Dong, X. Zhou, S. Dong, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A 325, 104 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. B. Hua, B. Liu, Appl. Surf. Sci. 358, 412 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. G. Wang, W. Xiao, J. Yu, Energy 86, 196 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. R. Dong, C. Na, H. Zhang, Z. Chen, C. Jin, Mater. Des. 89, 830 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. M. Marandi, M. Pirhadi, R. Davarnejad, J. Alloys Compd. 646, 264 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. A.I. Rafieh, P. Ekanayake, A.L. Tan, C.M. Lim, Sol. Energy 141, 249 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. M. Zahedifar, Z. Chamanzadeh, S.M. Mashkani, J. Lumin. 135, 66 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. A. Irfan, Mater. Chem. Phys. 142, 238 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. K.M. Lee, E.S. Lee, B. Yoo, D.H. Shin, Electrochim. Acta 109, 181 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. J.T. Hong, H. Seo, D.G. Lee, J.J. Jang, T.P. An, H.J. Kim, J. Electrostat. 68, 205 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. N.C. Nath, H.J. Lee, W.Y. Choic, J.J. Lee, Electrochim. Acta 109, 39 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. L. Qin, S. Liang, X. Tan, A. Pan, J. Alloys Compd. 692, 124 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. W. Raza, M.M. Haque, M. Muneer, M. Fleisch, A. Hakki, D. Bahnemann, J. Alloys Compd. 632, 837 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. X. Luan, L. Chen, J. Zhang, G. Qu, J.C. Flake, Y. Wang, Electrochim. Acta 111, 216 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. F. Akbar, M. Kolahdouz, Sh.. Larimian, B. Radfar, H.H. Radamson, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron 26, 4347 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  35. J.J. Zhang, X. Liu, T. Ye, G.P. Zheng, X.C. Zheng, P. Liu, X.X. Guan, J. Alloys Compd. 698, 819 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Y. Xie, J. Song, P. Zhou, Y. Ling, Y. Wu, Electrochim. Acta 210, 358 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Y. Zhang, X. Hou, T. Sun, X. Zhao, Ceram. Int. 43, 1150 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. W. Xu, W. Xie, X. Huang, X. Chen, N. Huang, X. Wang, J. Liu, Food Chem. 221, 267 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. M. Khannam, R. Boruah, S.K. Doluia, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A 335, 248 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. W.Y. Yan, Q. Zhou, X. Chena, Y. Yang, Y. Zhang, X.J. Huang, Y.C. Wu, J. Hazard. Mater 314, 41 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. W.D. Yang, Y.R. Li, Y.C. Lee, Appl. Surf. Sci. 380, 249 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. J.H. Kim, W. Choi, H.G. Jung, S.H. Oh, K.Y. Chung, W. Cho, I.H. Oh, I.W. Nah, J. Alloys Compd. 690, 390 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. X. Li, Y. Zhao, X. Wang, J. Wang, A.M. Gaskov, S.A. Akbar, Sens. Actuators B 230, 330 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. X. Li, X. Zhang, R. Wang, Z. Su, J. Sha, P. Liu, J. Power Sour. 336, 298 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. D. Dahlan, S.K. Saad, A.U. Berli, A. Bajili, A.A. Umar, Phys. E 91, 185 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. M.S. Ahmad, A.K. Pandey, N.A. Rahim, Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 77, 89 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. U. Mehmood, Org. Electron 42, 187 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. R. Yang, J. Cai, K. Lv, X. Wu, Appl. Catal. B 210, 184 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. D. Nechiyil, B.P. Vinayan, S. Ramaprabhu, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 488, 309 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. A. Azam, A.S. Ahmed, M.S. Ansari, M. MS, A.H. Naqvi, J. Alloys Compd. 506, 237 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. S. Surya, R. Thangamuthu, S.M. Kumar, G. Murugadoss, Superlattices Microstruct. 102, 424 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Y.C. Wang, C.P. Cho, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A 332, 1 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. N.C.D. Nath, H.J. Lee, W.Y. Choi, J.J. Lee, Electrochim. Acta 109, 39 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Advanced Materials Science & Engineering, Hanseo University, Chungnam, 356-706, South Korea

    Yonrapach Areerob & Won-Chun Oh

  2. Korea Institutes of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, Soho-ro, Jinju-Si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea

    Kwang-Youn Cho

Authors
  1. Yonrapach Areerob
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kwang-Youn Cho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Won-Chun Oh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Won-Chun Oh.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Areerob, Y., Cho, KY. & Oh, WC. Strategy to improve photovoltaic performance of DSSC sensitized by using novel nanostructured La dopped TiO2-graphene electrodes. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 3437–3448 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-017-8278-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-017-8278-3

Search

Navigation