title: Scalable low-cost SnS(2) nanosheets as counter electrode building blocks for dye-sensitized solar cells.
abstract: A new type of semitransparent SnS2 nanosheet (NS) films were synthesized using a simple and environmentally friendly solution-processed approach, which were subsequently used as a counter electrode (CE) alternative to the noble metal Pt for triiodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The resultant SnS2 -based CE with a thickness of about 300 nm exhibited excellent electrochemical catalytic activity for catalyzing the reduction of triiodide and demonstrated comparable power conversion efficiency of 7.64 % with that of expensive Pt-based CE in DSSCs (7.71 %). When functionalized with a small amount of carbon nanoparticles, the SnS2 NS-based CE showed even better performance of 8.06 % than Pt under the same conditions. Considering the facile fabrication method, optical transparency, low cost, and remarkable catalytic property, this study on SnS2 NSs may shed light on the large-scale production of electrocatalytic electrode materials for low-cost photovoltaic devices.
authors.affiliation: Nanomaterials Centre, School of Chemical Engineering and AIBN, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia).
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lianzhou
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: SnS2 nanosheets; dye-sensitized solar cells; efficient counter electrode; nanostructures; photochemistry