Solution-Processed Transparent Nickel-Mesh Counter Electrode with in-Situ Electrodeposited Platinum Nanoparticles for Full-Plastic Bifacial Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.
A new type of embedded metal-mesh transparent electrode (EMTE) with in-situ electrodeposited catalytic platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) is developed as a high-performance counter electrode (CE) for lightweight flexible bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The thick but narrow nickel micromesh fully embedded in a plastic film provides superior electrical conductivity, optical transmittance, and mechanical stability to the novel electrode. PtNPs decorated selectively on the nickel micromesh surface provide catalytic function with minimum material cost and without interfering with optical transparency. Facile and fully solution-processed fabrication of the novel CE is demonstrated with potential for scalable and cost-effective production. Using this PtNP-decorated nickel EMTE as the CE and titanium foil as the photoanode, unifacial flexible DSSCs are fabricated with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.91%. By replacing the titanium foil with a transparent ITO-PEN photoanode, full-plastic bifacial DSSCs are fabricated and tested, demonstrating a remarkable PCE of 4.87% under rear-side illumination, which approaches 85% of the 5.67% PCE under front-side illumination, among the highest ratio in published results. These promising results reveal the enormous potential of this hybrid transparent CE in scalable production and commercialization of low-cost and efficient flexible DSSCs.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
Arshad
A
Khan
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
Yu-Ting
YT
Huang
Graduate School of Engineering, Toin University of Yokohama , 1614 Kuroganecho, Aoba, Yokohama 225-8503, Japan.
Tsutomu
T
Miyasaka
Graduate School of Engineering, Toin University of Yokohama , 1614 Kuroganecho, Aoba, Yokohama 225-8503, Japan.
Masashi
M
Ikegami
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.|HKU-Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-ZIRI) , Hangzhou 311300, China.
Shien-Ping
SP
Feng
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.|HKU-Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-ZIRI) , Hangzhou 311300, China.|HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-SIRI) , Shenzhen 518000, China.
Wen-Di
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7005-2784
WD
Li
embedded metal mesh; flexible bifacial DSSCs; in-situ electrodeposition; platinum nanoparticles; transparent counterelectrodes