title: Efficient Nickel Sulfide and Graphene Counter Electrodes Decorated with Silver Nanoparticles and Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.
abstract: We reported a facile two-step electrochemical-chemical approach for in situ growth of nickel sulfide and graphene counter electrode (CE) decorated with silver nanoparticles (signed NiS/Gr-Ag) and served in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Under optimum conditions, the DSSC achieved a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 8.36 % assembled with the NiS/Gr-Ag CE, much higher than that based on the Pt CE (7.76 %). The surface morphology of NiS/Gr-Ag CE exhibited a smooth surface with cross-growth of NiS, graphene, and Ag nanoparticles, which was beneficial to the fast mass transport of electrolytes; increased the contact area of electrolytes and active materials; and enabled to speed up the reduction of triiodide to iodide. The research on the electrochemical properties also showed that the NiS/Gr-Ag CE possessed lower charge transfer resistance and more excellent electrocatalytic activity in iodide/triiodide electrolyte compared to the Pt electrode.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials of Henan and School of Physics & Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China. yuegentian@126.com.
authors.forename: Gentian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials of Henan and School of Physics & Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
authors.forename: Fumin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials of Henan and School of Physics & Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials of Henan and School of Physics & Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: Counter electrode; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Graphene; Nickel sulfide; Silver decorated