High-surface-area microporous carbon as the efficient photocathode of dye-sensitized solar cells

This paper reports on the application of cornstalks-derived high-surface-area microporous carbon (MC) as the efficient photocathode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The photocathode, which contains MC active material, Vulcan XC–72 carbon black conductive agent, and TiO2 binder, was obtained by a doctor blade method. Electronic impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the MC film uniformly coated on fluorine doped SnO2 (FTO) glass displayed a low charge-transfer resistance of 1.32 Ω cm2. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis of the as-prepared MC film exhibited excellent catalytic activity for I3−/I− redox reactions. The DSCs assembled with the MC film photocathode presented a short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc) of 14.8 mA cm−2, an open-circuit photovoltage (Voc) of 798 mV, and a fill factor (FF) of 62.3%, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 7.36% under AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm−2), which is comparable to that of DSCs with Pt photocathode obtained by conventional thermal decomposition.

The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC) assembled with the film photocathode of high-surface-area microporous carbon (MC) presented a short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc) of 14.8 mA cm−2, an open-circuit photovoltage (Voc) of 798 mV, and a fill factor (FF) of 62.3%, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 7.36% under AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm−2), which is comparable to that of DSC with Pt photocathode obtained by conventional thermal decomposition.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide