title: Synthesis of honeycomb-like mesoporous pyrite FeS2 microspheres as efficient counter electrode in quantum dots sensitized solar cells.
abstract: Honeycomb-like mesoporous pyrite FeS2 microspheres, with diameters of 500-800 nm and pore sizes of 25-30 nm, are synthesized by a simple solvothermal approach. The mesoporous FeS2 microspheres are demonstrated to be an outstanding counter electrode (CE) material in quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) for electrocatalyzing polysulfide electrolyte regeneration. The cell using mesoporous FeS2 microspheres as CE shows 86.6% enhancement in power conversion efficiency (PCE) than the cell using traditional noble Pt CE. Furthermore, it also shows 11.4% enhancement in PCE than the cell using solid FeS2 microspheres as CE, due to the mesoporous structure facilitating better contact with polysulfide electrolyte and fast diffusion of redox couple species in electrolyte.
authors.affiliation: School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, P. R. China; Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Huaixin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Wenyue
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhangpeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun-Sing
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: FeS2; catalysts; counter electrodes; mesoporous; solar cells