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Metal–organic framework-derived cobalt diselenide as an efficient electrocatalyst for dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

In this paper, cobalt-based metal–organic framework (Co-MOF) precursor is synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass through an electrodeposition and solvothermal process. Then, cobalt diselenide (CoSe2-D) film is directly obtained through a selenization process. Meanwhile, Co-MOF film is also fabricated by spraying Co-MOF solution onto FTO glass, and selenized to form CoSe2 (CoSe2-S) film. It is found that CoSe2-S film is composed of particles with porous structure, which is beneficial to increase electrocatalytic active sites and provide more diffusion channels for the I−/I3− redox couples. As a result, CoSe2-S counter-electrode (CE) displays a higher electrocatalytic performance than those of platinum (Pt) and CoSe2-D CEs. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) based on CoSe2-S CE is up to 6.86%, which is larger than that of the DSC based on Pt CE (6.36%). The results indicate the potential of using CoSe2 as low-cost and facile CE for DSCs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61804062), The Qing Lan Project in Jiangsu Province, Jiangsu Provincial University Natural Science Research Major Program, China (Grant No. 17KJA510001), Jiangsu Colleges and Universities General Programs of Natural Science Research (Grant No. 17KJB510006), Opening Foundation of Jiangsu Province Lake Environment Remote Sensing Technology Engineering Laboratory (Grant No. JSLERS-2017-008), and Pearl River S&T Nova Program of Guangzhou (Grant No. 201710010143).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Electronic Information Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai’an, 223003, China

    Jing Wu, Wenjing Pan, Jie Zhu, Qing-Song Jiang, Rendong Ji & Yulin Zhang

  2. Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Lake Environment Remote Sensing Technologies, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai’an, 223003, China

    Qing-Song Jiang, Rendong Ji & Yulin Zhang

  3. Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai’an, 223003, China

    Yi Lin

  4. School of Material and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Yu Zhao

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  1. Jing Wu
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Wu, J., Pan, W., Lin, Y. et al. Metal–organic framework-derived cobalt diselenide as an efficient electrocatalyst for dye-sensitized solar cells. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 12309–12316 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-03776-y

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