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Electro-catalytic and structural studies of DNA templated gold wires on platinum/ITO as modified counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

DNA templated gold wires (AuWs) were fabricated on Pt sputtered ITO (Pt/ITO) substrates using ‘scribing’ or ‘writing’ method to be used as a modified counter electrode (CE) in Dye sensitized solar cells. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) bind to DNA in aqueous solution due to the polyanionic nature of DNA. When a scribe is made on the dropcasted Au-DNA solution, the diffusion of Au-DNA complex occurs towards the edges of the scribe due to the coffee ring effect. Capillary force induces evaporation of water that also forces the Au-DNA complex to migrate towards the scribed edges. Meanwhile, the AuNPs are reduced on the surface of DNA to form active seed for nucleation and growth of AuWs. DNA molecules act as a scaffold to arrange the nanoparticles into well-connected submicron to nanoscale wires. The cyclic voltammetry measurements showed that AuWs/Pt/ITO CE exhibited better electro-catalytic activity and higher conductivity than conventional Pt/ITO CE due to the synergistic effect of Pt and AuWs network on ITO. The DSSC fabricated using TiO2 photoanode, N719 dye, I3 −/I− electrolyte and AuWs/Pt/ITO CE showed a 36% increase in efficiency as compared to the cells made under same parameters but using conventional (Pt/ITO) CE.

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Acknowledgements

Funding from UMCoE RU Grant: RU003-2017 (IOES), Malaysian Research Grant: FP038-2017A, Postgraduate Research Grant (PPP) Grant: PG157-2015A and funding from National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan is highly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre (LDMRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Sehar Shakir & Vengadesh Periasamy

  2. US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy, USPCASE, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12 Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Sehar Shakir

  3. Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Yiing Yee Foo, Nastaran Rizan & Phang Siew Moi

  4. School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering (SMME), National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), H-12 Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Hafiz M. Abd-ur-Rehman

  5. Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3RA, UK

    Kamran Yunus

  6. Institute of Ocean & Earth Sciences (IOES), University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Phang Siew Moi

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  1. Sehar Shakir
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Correspondence to Vengadesh Periasamy.

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Shakir, S., Foo, Y.Y., Rizan, N. et al. Electro-catalytic and structural studies of DNA templated gold wires on platinum/ITO as modified counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 4602–4611 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-017-8411-3

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