title: A Player Often Neglected: Electrochemical Comprehensive Analysis of Counter Electrodes for Quantum Dot Solar Cells.
abstract: The role played by the counter electrode (CE) in quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) is crucial: it is indeed responsible for catalyzing the regeneration of the redox electrolyte after its action to take back the oxidized light harvesters to the ground state, thus keeping the device active and stable. The activity of CE is moreover directly related to the fill factor and short circuit current through the resistance of the interface electrode-electrolyte that affects the series resistance of the cell. Despite that, too few efforts have been devoted to a comprehensive analysis of this important device component. In this work we combine an extensive electrochemical characterization of the most common materials exploited as CEs in QDSSCs (namely, Pt, Au, Cu2S obtained by brass treatment, and Cu2S deposited on conducting glass via spray) with a detailed characterization of their surface composition and morphology, aimed at systematically defining the relationship between their nature and electrocatalytic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia , Via Valotti 9, 25131 Brescia, Italy.|SENSOR Laboratory, CNR-INO , Via Branze 45, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milan
authors.affiliation: Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, INSTM and University of Brescia , Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mehwish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia , Via Valotti 9, 25131 Brescia, Italy.|SENSOR Laboratory, CNR-INO , Via Branze 45, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gurpreet Singh
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Selopal
authors.affiliation: Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, INSTM and University of Brescia , Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borgese
authors.affiliation: Istituto per l'Energetica e le Interfasi, Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, CNR and Università di Padova , Via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Natile
authors.affiliation: Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, INSTM and University of Brescia , Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Depero
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia , Via Valotti 9, 25131 Brescia, Italy.|SENSOR Laboratory, CNR-INO , Via Branze 45, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sberveglieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia , Via Valotti 9, 25131 Brescia, Italy.|SENSOR Laboratory, CNR-INO , Via Branze 45, 25123 Brescia, Italy.|Luleå University of Technology , 971 98 Luleå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Concina
keywords: charge transfer resistance; copper sulfide; counter electrodes; quantum dot sensitized solar cells; solar energy conversion; treated brass