Large area growth of MoTe2 films as high performance counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

作者：Hussain Sajjad; Patil Supriya A; Vikraman Dhanasekaran; Mengal Naveed; Liu Hailiang; Song Wooseok; An Ki Seok; Jeong Sung Hoon; Kim Hak Sung; Jung Jongwan

来源：Scientific Reports, 2018, 8(1): 29.

DOI：10.1038/s41598-017-18067-6

A cost effective and efficient alternative counter electrode (CE) to replace commercially existing platinum (Pt)-based CEs for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is necessary to make DSSCs competitive. Herein, we report the large-area growth of molybdenum telluride (MoTe2) thin films by sputteringchemical vapor deposition (CVD) on conductive glass substrates for Pt-free CEs of DSSCs. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), Tafel curve analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results showed that the as-synthesized MoTe2 exhibited good electrocatalytic properties and a low charge transfer resistance at the electrolyte-electrode interface. The optimized MoTe2 CE revealed a high power conversion efficiency of 7.25% under a simulated solar illumination of 100 mW cm(-2) (AM 1.5), which was comparable to the 8.15% observed for a DSSC with a Pt CE. The low cost and good electrocatalytic properties of MoTe2 thin films make them as an alternative CE for DSSCs.

• 出版日期2018-1-8