title: In situ direct growth of single crystalline metal (Co, Ni) selenium nanosheets on metal fibers as counter electrodes toward low-cost, high-performance fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells.
abstract: Highly crystalline metal (Co, Ni) selenium (Co0.85Se or Ni0.85Se) nanosheets were in situ grown on metal (Co, Ni) fibers (M-M0.85Se). Both M-M0.85Se (Co-Co0.85Se and Ni-Ni0.85Se) fibers prove to function as excellent, low-cost counter electrodes (CEs) in fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells (FDSSCs) with high power conversion efficiency (Co-Co0.85Se 6.55% and Ni-Ni0.85Se 7.07%), comparable or even superior to a Pt fiber CE (6.54%). The good performance of the present Pt-free CE-based solar cell was believed to originate from: (1) the intrinsic electrocatalytic properties of the single-crystalline M-M0.85Se; (2) the enough void space among M0.85Se nanosheets that allows easier redox ion diffusion; (3) the two-dimensional morphology that provides a large contact area between the CE catalytic material and electrolyte; (4) in situ direct growth of the M0.85Se on metal fibers that renders good electrical contact between the active material and the electron collector.
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China. zhouyong1999@nju.edu.cn zgzou@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hexing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China. zhouyong1999@nju.edu.cn zgzou@nju.edu.cn and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China. zhouyong1999@nju.edu.cn zgzou@nju.edu.cn and College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China. zhouyong1999@nju.edu.cn zgzou@nju.edu.cn and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China. zhouyong1999@nju.edu.cn zgzou@nju.edu.cn and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China. zhouyong1999@nju.edu.cn zgzou@nju.edu.cn and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zou