Tri-iodide reduction activity of ultra-small size PtFe nanoparticles supported nitrogen-doped graphene as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell

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• 作者：Divya Nechiyil^a ; B.P. Vinayan^b ; S. Ramaprabhu^a ; ^{ramp@iitm.ac.in}
• 关键词：DSSC ; Electrocatalytic activity ; Counter electrode ; Power conversion efficiency ; Graphene
• 刊名：Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：15 February 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：488
• 期：Complete
• 页码：309-316
• 全文大小：1468 K
• 卷排序：488

文摘

Efficient and cost effective counter electrode (CE) is pre-requisite for the commercialization of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Present work investigates ultra small size platinum-iron alloy nanoparticles dispersed over nitrogen-doped graphene (PtFe/NG) as an effective counter electrode for DSSC. Hereby we achieve low loading of Pt by alloying with Fe accompanied by superior electrocatalytic activity towards the iodide-triiodide (I−/I3−) mechanism. Enhancement in electrocatalytic performance of PtFe/NG has been shown by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel polarization analysis. PtFe/NG counter electrode exhibits higher power conversion efficiency (∼6.12%) with lower charge transfer resistance, which helps in faster diffusion of I−/I3− ions as compared to NG and Pt/NG counter electrodes. The increased electrocatalytic activity of PtFe/NG is due to the collective effect of intrinsic electronic effects by alloying, uniform dispersion of small PtFe alloy nanoparticles over nitrogen doped graphene, and additional catalytic sites offered by nitrogen-doped graphene.