Efficient hydrothermal-processed platinum-nickel bimetallic nano-catalysts for use in dye-sensitized solar cells

Cubic PtNi bimetallic nano-crystals with slender tentacles are prepared by a hydrothermal method and used as CE materials for DSSCs, achieving an enhanced photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 8.95%, which is close to that of Pt CE (9.24%). This is due to its 3D electrocatalytic surfaces has a high catalytic activity for the reduction of I3− to I− and a low charge transfer resistance at the electrolyte/electrode interface.177