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A two-step reduction method for synthesizing graphene nanocomposites with a low loading of well-dispersed platinum nanoparticles for use as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

Low Pt-loaded graphene nanocomposites were prepared using a two-step reduction process. Graphene dispersion was first prepared from graphene oxide using hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. Pt-reduced graphene oxide composites were then synthesized in the aqueous graphene dispersion at 90 °C without the need for another reductant. Pt/graphene composite films were then deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates using a simple drop-casting method at room temperature and subsequently used as counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Cyclic voltammetry and electrical impedance analysis show that the composite electrodes have high electrocatalytic activity toward iodide/triiodide reduction. The energy conversion efficiency of the Pt/graphene CE-based DSSC was found to be 1.9 % lower than that of cells with a Pt-based CE.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the financial support of Ph.D. Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. 20114208110004), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 21402045 and 51102087). Also, this work was supported by the Program for Middle-aged and Young Talents from Educational Commission of Hubei Province (Grant No. Q20120103), Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China (Grant No. 2014CFB167) and the Wuhan Science and Technology Bureau of Hubei Province of China (Grant No. 2013010501010140).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China

    Li Wan, Qiuping Zhang, Shimin Wang, Xianbao Wang, Zhiguang Guo, Binghai Dong, Li Zhao, Zuxun Xu, Jing Li, Bi Wang, Tianyue Luo & Huayu Xiong

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  1. Li Wan
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  2. Qiuping Zhang
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  3. Shimin Wang
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Correspondence to Shimin Wang.

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Wan, L., Zhang, Q., Wang, S. et al. A two-step reduction method for synthesizing graphene nanocomposites with a low loading of well-dispersed platinum nanoparticles for use as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells. J Mater Sci 50, 4412–4421 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-8998-9

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