V₂O₅ Nanosheets as an Efficient, Low‐cost Pt‐free Alternate Counter Electrode for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

The search for cost‐effective and efficient counter electrode finds its way in choosing vanadium pentoxide, an abundant and low‐cost material with good electrocatalytic property and stability. Two‐dimensional vanadium pentoxide nanosheets (V2O5 NS) were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method followed by calcination at 350 °C. The morphology of the synthesized material provides an excellent surface property with good surface area and a wide range of porosity distribution helps in enhancing the electrocatalytic active sites for effective reduction of I3−. The electrochemical studies performed with V2O5 NS showed good electrocatalytic activity with high current density, low series and charge transfer resistance. The electrochemical techniques CV, EIS and Tafel polarization performed with V2O5 NS gave an enhanced electrocatalytic activity and charge transfer kinetics with a low value of Rs and Rct. Furthermore, the photocurrent voltage studies done with V2O5 NS CE DSSC achieved a PCE of 5.1% ( Open circuit voltage (Voc)=0.65 V, short ciruit photocurrent density (Jsc)=11.67 mA/cm2 and fill factor (FF)=66.46%) and the conventional thermal decomposed Pt CE DSSC reached the PCE of 7.4% (Open circuit voltage (Voc)=0.78 V, short circuit photocurrent density (Jsc)=15.03 mA/cm2 and fill factor (FF)=57.39%) under similar test conditions, appreciably good performance than previous reports on V2O5 CE DSSC. The present work encourages further extensive research to develop nanostructures of V2O5 as a low‐cost alternate counter electrode to Pt CE for large‐scale production.

Enhancement in the Electrocatalytic and Optoelectronic Performance of Cost-Effective Counter Electrode VO2 for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC)

“…In their paper, they also said that the properties of CEs could be made even better by tweaking their crystalline structure, surface shape, and ability to react with electrolytes. Therefore, V 2 O 5 has potential as a viable alternative to platinum in terms of cost-effectiveness [18]. Also, Wu et al [19] looked into Ptfree catalyst materials for CEs, which is seen as one of the most important steps to making DSSCs more efficient at converting energy and less expensive.…”

“…They had prepared V 2 O 3 composite catalysts that were successfully prepared and further applied to CEs as catalytic materials in the DSSC and achieved a PCE of 5.13% [19]. Gnanasekar and Nirmala Grace [18] have prepared the two-dimensional vanadium pentoxide nanosheets (V 2 O 5 NS) by a simple hydrothermal method followed by calcinations at 350°C. In addition, the photocurrent voltage studies using V 2 O 5 NS as the CE in DSSC achieved a PCE of 5.1%, which is much better than the conventional Pt CE's PCE of 7.4% under the same test conditions.…”

Photovoltaic and Impedance Analysis of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Counter Electrodes of Manganese Dioxide and Silver-Doped Manganese Dioxide

“…Tamilselvi et al fabricated DSSCs with a NiSe 2 /graphene hybrid counter electrode and achieved an efficiency of 10.6% [8]. Different metal oxides, including vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ), niobium pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5 ), manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ), copper oxide (CuO), and tungsten(IV) oxide(W0 2 ), are also suitable candidates for counter electrode materials in DSSCs because of their low cost and abundance in nature [3,9]. [8].…”