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Application of Carbon Nanotubes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

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Handbook of Polymer Nanocomposites. Processing, Performance and Application

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Abstract

In recent years, carbon nanotubes(CNTs) have attracted more and more attention due to their special electric structure, large specific surface area, hollow and layered structures, extraordinary mechanical and chemical stability properties and their widely potential applications. Especially, CNTs not only have a large electrons-storage capacity, but also show electronic conductivity similar to that of metals. Taking account of their 1D nano-structures and good electrical conductivity, it is reasonable to conclude that CNTs are beneficial to transport the electrons and enhance photoelectric conversion efficiencies of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This review surveys the literature and highlights recent progress in the three possible applications (as counter electrode, anode, and electrolyte) of CNTs in DSSCs, and the mechanism of increasing electron transport and conversion efficiency is analyzed.

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Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful for the support of the National Science Foundation of China (Grant No.21074031), Foundation of Heilongjiang Education Bureau.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150086, China

    Lina Ma & Haijun Niu

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  1. Lina Ma
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  2. Haijun Niu
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Correspondence to Haijun Niu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Programme, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India

    Kamal K. Kar

  2. University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun, India

    Jitendra K. Pandey

  3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Sravendra Rana

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Ma, L., Niu, H. (2015). Application of Carbon Nanotubes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. In: Kar, K., Pandey, J., Rana, S. (eds) Handbook of Polymer Nanocomposites. Processing, Performance and Application. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45229-1_35

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