In situ growing CNTs encapsulating nickel compounds on Ni foils with ethanol flame method as superior counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells

摘要

A simple, rapid and cost-effective strategy for in situ growing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites on metal nickel substrates by ethanol flame method with two different precursors is reported to prepare counter electrodes (CEs) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Thiourea is first introduced as a precursor to prepare CNTs with different dimensions and individual carbon-encased sulfide nanoparticles and consuming lower energy in situ preparing process. Then, the diverse structure of as-prepared CNTs samples is explored by observing the reaction process of catalytic growing CNTs. Significantly, both kinds of CNTs nanocomposites in situ growing on nickel foils through flame method are first introduced as CEs in DSSCs, which possessed good conductive properties and excellent electrocatalytic performance. Two corresponding DSSCs based on CNTs CEs display higher fill factor (FF = 0.72, 0.73), larger short-circuit current density (Jsc = 14.1, 14.7 mA cm(-2)) and higher photoelectric conversion efficiency (7.43% and 6.96%) than that (0.69, 13.8 mA cm(-2), 6.72%) of DSSC based on Pt/FTO CE. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.