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Cobalt Sulfide as Counter Electrode in p‐Type Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Congiu Mirko,
Bonomo Matteo,
Marco Maria Letizia De,
Dowling Denis P.,
Di Carlo Aldo,
Dini Danilo,
Graeff Carlos F. O.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistryselect
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2365-6549
DOI - 10.1002/slct.201600297
Subject(s) - dye sensitized solar cell , non blocking i/o , anode , tin oxide , auxiliary electrode , materials science , dielectric spectroscopy , cobalt sulfide , nickel oxide , electrode , nickel sulfide , cobalt , mesoporous material , energy conversion efficiency , electrochemistry , solar cell , cobalt oxide , chemical engineering , sulfide , nickel , oxide , chemistry , optoelectronics , electrolyte , catalysis , metallurgy , organic chemistry , engineering
We proposed a novel application of cobalt sulfide (CoS) in the configuration of transparent thin film as anode in p‐type dye‐sensitized solar cell (p‐DSC). The anodes here considered have been prepared using a water‐based method that is suitable for the large scale production of large‐area electrodes. The photoactive cathodes of the p‐DSC were mesoporous nickel oxide (NiO) thin films deposited via rapid discharge sintering. The NiO electrodes were sensitized with the benchmark dye erythrosine B (ERY), while the couple I − /I 3 − was the redox mediator. The CoS anodes showed higher electrocatalytic efficiency in comparison with the commonly used platinized Fluorine‐doped Tin Oxide (Pt‐FTO). This was determined by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of CoS based dummy cells, with CoS showing a lower charge‐transfer resistance with respect to Pt‐FTO. The overall conversion efficiency of the p‐DSC employing ERY‐sensitized NiO as photoactive cathode and CoS anode was 0.026 %, a value very close to that obtained with Pt‐FTO anodes (0.030 %). The external quantum efficiency spectra of the p‐DSCs with CoS anodes were similar to those obtained with Pt‐FTO anodes under illumination with AM 1.5 solar simulator.