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Effect of Different Counter Electrodes on Power Conversion Efficiency of DSSCs

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Abstract

Among various photovoltaic (PV) devices, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) represent an outstanding choice due to their low cost, easy fabrication procedures, and eco-friendly nature. The photoanode, sensitizer, electrolyte, and counter electrode are basic elements that contribute to the performance of DSSCs. Counter electrode (CE) materials play a significant role in the DSSC PV performance. Improving cost-effective electrodes for PV applications is vital to meeting potential power demand. As an essential element, CE catalysts play a crucial role in DSSCs. An expensive platinum-based CE can be replaced by a number of economical and extremely stable materials such as conducting polymers, sulfides, oxides, and carbonaceous materials such as N-doped core–shell-based DSSCs, which have reportedly attained power conversion efficiency of 7.89%, higher than platinum-based cells (7.48%). Cr-doped SiC showed better activity for triiodide splitting; however, it also revealed poor action for further splitting of the iodine into mono-iodides as compared with Pt-doped SiC slabs. A graphene nanoplatelet-based CE revealed charge transfer resistance of 3.36 Ω, slightly higher than platinum (1.18 Ω). Consequently, it showed slightly higher oxidation. The present article focuses on various striking replacements for platinum-based CEs for DSSCs that will offer innovative study opportunities for different CE materials in renewable energy fields.

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Here critical analysis has been done with reference to earlier research work. This is a kind of comprehensive review. Hence, there are no data used.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are highly thankful to Centre for Energy and Environment, Delhi Technological University for providing the basic facility for this review compiling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Oriental Institute of Science and Technology, Bhopal, 462022, India

    Geetam Richhariya

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, 110 042, India

    Anil Kumar

  3. Centre for Energy and Environment, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, 110 042, India

    Anil Kumar

  4. Department of Electrical Engineering, Ujjain Engineering College, Ujjain, 456010, India

    Akash Kumar Shukla

  5. Department of Electrical Engineering, LNCT College, Bhopal, 462021, India

    K. N. Shukla

  6. Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, 721302, India

    Bhim Charan Meikap

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  1. Geetam Richhariya
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  2. Anil Kumar
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  3. Akash Kumar Shukla
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Contributions

GR Methodology, Writing—original draft and Investigation. AK Conceptualization, Writing—review and editing, Visualization and Supervision. AKS Investigation and editing. KNS Investigation and editing. BCM Conceptualization and Supervision.

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Correspondence to Anil Kumar.

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Richhariya, G., Kumar, A., Shukla, A.K. et al. Effect of Different Counter Electrodes on Power Conversion Efficiency of DSSCs. J. Electron. Mater. 52, 60–71 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-022-09973-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-022-09973-1

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