Recent Progresses in Carbon Counter Electrode Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules

Abstract

Though perovskite solar cells (PSCs) or modules (PSMs) are being developed at an unprecedented speed, several obstacles remain to their commercialization. One of the difficult problems is the expensive and unstable Au and Ag counter electrode. Therefore, highly effective, stable, and low‐cost counter electrode materials should be explored. Among various counter electrode materials, carbon is one of the most promising substitutes for their rich sources, low cost, outstanding electrochemical performance, and diversified surface functions. This review summarizes recent achievements of carbon counter electrode materials, which included commercial carbon paste, carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes and their synthetic approaches, modifications, and structure‐function relationships. Moreover, large‐scale carbon counter electrode in PSCs or PSMs are specifically discussed. Hopefully, this recapitulative analysis will draw the attention of relevant researchers to re‐understand the importance of counter electrode and clarify what should be noticed to develop qualified counter electrode materials for PSCs or PSMs.

Recent Progress in Perovskite Solar Cells: Status and Future

“…It is inevitable to explore new low-cost electrode materials to replace traditional noble metal electrodes (Au and Ag) for a higher performance-price ratio [215,216]. Carbon materials are ideal candidates because they have similar functions and fine electrical conductivity to Au and can be prepared by silk-screen printing [217]. Lee et al [218] reported that trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS) vapor doping of the free-standing carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet enabled the tuning of conductivity and work function of the CNT electrode.…”

Counter electrodes for perovskite solar cells: materials, interfaces and device stability

“…84 Extensive efforts on carbon counter electrodes have been made to study their impacts on device efficiency and stability, and details of the development of carbon electrodes can be found in previous reviews. 85,86 Here we only summarize some representative work on carbon electrodes in terms of device architecture, material composition, stability and scalable fabrication. Generally, carbon electrodes are mainly applied in two types of device architectures, including monolithic and conventional layered structures.…”

In situ grown Bi2WO6@CoMoO4 layered cladding structure on carbon nanofibers by a two-step solvothermal method and Ti mesh substrate as advanced counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

“…25 The combination of transition metal oxides and carbon materials in the CEs of DSSCs can provide total advantages such that the CEs of DSSCs not only have good catalytic reduction ability but also have the characteristics of low intrinsic resistance. 26,27 At present, the combination of transition metal oxides and carbon materials for efficient catalytic electrode materials has attracted extensive attention from researchers. For example, Cheng et al reported the activity and selectivity of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNT) to transition metal oxide (MOx, where M = Fe, Ni, and Co) nanoclusters for CO 2 RR and achieved a CO yield of 2.6-2.8 mmol cm −2 min −1 at an overpotential of −0.55 V, which is four times higher than that of pristine N-CNT.…”