Poly(vinylidene fluoride)–implanted cobalt–platinum alloy counter electrodes for dye–sensitized solar cells

• Co–Pt alloys are synthesized by a mild solution method.
• Co–Pt alloys are implanted into PVDF for coating low–Pt CEs.
• The DSSC employing PVDF–implanted Co2Pt alloy CE shows an efficiency of 7.61%.
• The resultant CEs are stable and robust for efficient DSSC application.

Exploration of cost–effective counter electrodes (CEs) with simple technique for large–scale synthesis has been a persistent objective for dye–sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In the current work, binary cobalt–platinum (Co–Pt) alloys are synthesized by a mild solution method and implanted into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) for coating cost–effective CEs. Owing to the excellent adhesiveness of PVDF, Co–Pt alloys are solidly attached on conductive glass substrate. The electrical conduction ability and electrochemical behavior of interconnected Co–Pt channels demonstrate the potential use of PVDF–implanted Co–Pt alloy CE in robust DSSCs. The electrochemical properties as well as photovoltaic performances are optimized by adjusting stoichiometric ratios of Co/Pt. An optimal power conversion efficiency of 7.61% is recorded from DSSC employing PVDF–implanted Co2Pt alloy CE, which is better than 6.02% from expensive Pt CE or 1.45% from PVDF–implanted Co–CE based DSSC. Relatively stabilities in photocurrent and multiple start/stop cycles are determined for the cell with PVDF–implanted Co–Pt alloy CE.

Binary Co–Pt alloys are synthesized by a mild solution method and implanted into PVDF for low-cost CE materials in dye-sensitized solar cells. The kinetics for triiodide reduction is significantly accelerated owing to promising charge-transfer ability and electrocatalytic performances, an optimal power conversion efficiency of 7.61% is recorded in PVDF implanted Co2Pt alloy CE based device.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide