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Improving the efficiency of Dye-sensitized solar cells by decorating WSe2 Photoanodes with 2D graphene

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Abstract

For eco-friendly, economic, and renewable energy source, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has attracted extensive attention in current era. DSSC faces various researches toward the enhancement of its efficiency. Developing high-performance photoanode for efficient DSSCs is urgent need and it is still under research. In this regard, we successfully synthesized 2D graphene-decorated WSe2 by simple hydrothermal approach. The synthesized photoanode materials were characterized by advanced technique such as XRD, SEM, TEM, EDAX, PL, and XPS to investigate their size, morphology, crystalline phase, structure, chemical nature, and purity. The XRD results exposed the hexagonal cubic phase of WSe2. The different morphologies like spherical and 2D sheet were confirmed for WSe2, graphene through SEM micrograph which was further confirmed by TEM. The EDAX and XPS results proved the purity of composite photoanode and W+6 and W+4 state of tungsten in composite, respectively. UV and PL results confirmed the improved optical properties and reduced band gap during graphene incorporation. The surface area and pore size of WSe2/graphene composite was determined using N2 absorption–desorption measurements and found to be 105.2 m2/g and 19.8 nm, respectively, which is higher than that of pristine WSe2 (86.3 m2/g; 34.2 nm). DSSCs have been fabricated with these materials such as WSe2, RGW1, RGW2, and RGW3 as photoanodes. A device containing 10 wt% of 2D graphene-incorporated hybrid material exhibits significant improvements over the pure counterpart, due to less recombination of photo-generated electrons, rapid charge collection, and higher dye sensitization. The 2D graphene-decorated WSe2hybrid material as photoanode thus offers a promising low-cost Pt-free counter electrode for DSSC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University College of Engineering, Ariyalur, 621704, Tamilnadu, India

    N. Shobanadevi

  2. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University College of Engineering, Panruti, 607106, Tamilnadu, India

    S. P. Mangaiyarkarasi

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  1. N. Shobanadevi
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The author confirm contribution to the paper as follows: study conception, experimental analysis, and interpretation of results were carried out by S, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and manuscript was prepared by SPM, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

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Correspondence to N. Shobanadevi.

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Shobanadevi, N., Mangaiyarkarasi, S.P. Improving the efficiency of Dye-sensitized solar cells by decorating WSe2 Photoanodes with 2D graphene. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 25198–25210 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-09224-3

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