title: Gold nanoparticle decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes as counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells.
abstract: A novel counter electrode material for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) composed of nanostructured Au particles decorated on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWNTs) is demonstrated for the first time. MWNTs synthesized by catalytic chemical vapor deposition technique are purified and functionalized by treating with concentrated acids. Au nanoparticles are decorated on f-MWNTs by a rapid and facile microwave assisted polyol reduction method. The materials are characterized by X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The DSSC fabricated with Au/f-MWNTs based counter electrode shows enhanced power conversion efficiency (eta) of 4.9% under AM 1.5G simulated solar radiation. In comparison, the reference DSSCs fabricated with f-MWNTs and Pt counter electrodes show eta of 2.1% and 4.5%. This high performance of Au/f-MWNTs counter electrode is investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry studies.
authors: Alternative Energy and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Nano Functional Materials Technology Center, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India.
authors: Adarsh
authors: A
authors: Kaniyoor
authors: Sundara
authors: S
authors: Ramaprabhu
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D012993:Solar Energy
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D006046:Gold