title: Solution processed transition metal sulfides: application as counter electrodes in dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs).
abstract: A solution processed method for fabricating transition metal sulfides on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) as efficient counter electrodes in iodine/iodide based solar cells has been demonstrated. Conversion efficiencies of 7.01% and 6.50% were obtained for nickel and cobalt sulfides, respectively, comparable to the conventional thermally platinised FTO electrodes (7.32%). A comparable charge transfer resistance of Ni(3)S(2) and Co(8.4)S(8) to conventional Pt was found to be a key factor for such high efficiencies. Cyclic voltammetry, Kelvin probe microscopy, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, and Tafel polarization were performed to study the underlying reasons behind such efficient counter electrode performance.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798.
authors.forename: Hemant Kumar
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Mulmudi
authors.forename: Sudip Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Batabyal
authors.forename: Manohar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Rajiv Ramanujam
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
authors.forename: Nripan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: Yeng Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Subodh Gautam
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Mhaisalkar