CoS NWs/Au hybridized networks as efficient counter electrodes for flexible sensitized solar cells

Wenxi Guo, Xiaojia Zhang, Ruomeng Yu, Miaoling Que, Zengming Zhang, Zhiwei Wang, Qilin Hua, Chunfeng Wang, Zhong Lin Wang*, Caofeng Pan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A newly designed counter electrode (CE) composed of a hybridized structure of Au networks and cobalt sulfide (CoS) nanowire (NW) arrays is presented for flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The sheet resistance of the Au networks electrode is ≈10 Ω sq-1 with a transmittance up to 90%. The CoS NWs/Au hybridized networks show excellent electrocatalytic activity and lower charge transfer resistance toward the reduction of both Sx2- ions and I3- ions. The hybridized electrode exhibits remarkable mechanical strength and no obvious changes in morphology and sheet resistance even after 500 bending cycles; 3.13% and 4.73% efficiency are obtained by utilizing CoS/Au hybridized networks as CEs in TiO2 nanotube array (TNAR) based DSSCs and QDSSCs. This work provides a novel approach to fabricate flexible, transparent, conductive, and catalytically active electrodes for QDSSCs and DSSCs and pomotes the development of transparent percolation conductive films for photovoltaics. A newly designed counter electrode consisting of a hybridized structure of Au networks and CoS nanowire arrays is presented for flexible dye-sensitized solar cells and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. The physical and chemical properties of the hybridized electrodes are carefully investigated; 3.13% and 4.73% efficiency are obtained by utilizing these hybridized networks as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells, respectively.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1500141
JournalAdvanced Energy Materials
Volume5
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • cobalt sulfide
  • counter electrodes
  • flexible solar cells
  • metal nanotrough networks

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Guo, W., Zhang, X., Yu, R., Que, M., Zhang, Z., Wang, Z., Hua, Q., Wang, C., Wang, Z. L., & Pan, C. (2015). CoS NWs/Au hybridized networks as efficient counter electrodes for flexible sensitized solar cells. Advanced Energy Materials, 5(11), Article 1500141. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201500141