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Electrochemical deposition of carbon materials incorporated nickel sulfide composite as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

The various carbon-based materials incorporated nickel sulfide (NiS) composites have been electrochemically deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate. The structure, surface morphology, and elemental composition of the electrodeposited NiS composite materials were characterized by XRD, HR-SEM, and EDS. The electrochemically deposited various NiS composites such as NiS/AB (acetylene black), NiS/VC (Vulcan carbon), and NiS/MWCNT (multi walled carbon nanotubes) have been served as an efficient, low-cost counter electrode (CE) materials for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry of NiS/AB CE composite materials exhibits a good conductivity and superior electrocatalytic performance over other various carbon incorporated materials. The positive synergistic effects, which increase the active catalytic sites and improved interfacial charge transfer, may be accountable for the superior electrocatalytic performance of NiS/AB composite materials The fabricated DSSC with NiS/AB CE reached a power conversion efficiency of 6.75%, which is equivalent with platinum electrode (7.20%). These results validate that the electrochemically deposited NiS/AB composite film is an auspicious alternative for low-cost and high efficient DSSCs.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Department of Atomic Energy-Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (DAE-BRNS) (Grant No. 2013/37P/1/BRNS/10), Mumbai, India. Also, this study was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research, College of Science Research Centre, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.

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Author notes

  1. K. Murugan

    Present address: Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore, 632115, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solar Energy Lab, Department of Chemistry, Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore, 632115, India

    J. Theerthagiri, R. A. Senthil & J. Madhavan

  2. Electrochemistry Research Group, Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Prabhakarn Arunachalam

  3. Department of Physics, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, 627012, India

    K. Amarsingh Bhabu

  4. Department of Biotechnology, DKM College for women, Vellore, 632001, India

    A. Selvi

  5. Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, 641046, India

    K. Murugan

  6. Department of Physics, Centre for Ionics University of Malaya, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    A. K. Arof

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  1. J. Theerthagiri
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Correspondence to J. Madhavan.

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Theerthagiri, J., Senthil, R.A., Arunachalam, P. et al. Electrochemical deposition of carbon materials incorporated nickel sulfide composite as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. Ionics 23, 1017–1025 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-016-1885-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-016-1885-9

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