SiNW/C@Pt Arrays for High-Efficiency Counter Electrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Junhee Kim, Sanghoon Jung, Han-Jung Kim, Yoonkap Kim, Chanyong Lee, Soo Min Kim, Donghwan Kim and Yongseok Jun
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Junhee Kim: Convergence Materials Research Center, Gumi Electronics and Information Technology Research Institute, Cheomdangieop 1-ro 17, Sandong-myeon, Gumi 39171, Korea
Sanghoon Jung: Convergence Materials Research Center, Gumi Electronics and Information Technology Research Institute, Cheomdangieop 1-ro 17, Sandong-myeon, Gumi 39171, Korea
Han-Jung Kim: Convergence Materials Research Center, Gumi Electronics and Information Technology Research Institute, Cheomdangieop 1-ro 17, Sandong-myeon, Gumi 39171, Korea
Yoonkap Kim: Convergence Materials Research Center, Gumi Electronics and Information Technology Research Institute, Cheomdangieop 1-ro 17, Sandong-myeon, Gumi 39171, Korea
Chanyong Lee: Graduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST Green School), Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea
Soo Min Kim: Convergence Materials Research Center, Gumi Electronics and Information Technology Research Institute, Cheomdangieop 1-ro 17, Sandong-myeon, Gumi 39171, Korea
Donghwan Kim: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea
Yongseok Jun: Graduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST Green School), Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea

Energies, 2019, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Modern energy needs and the pressing issue of environmental sustainability have driven many research groups to focus on energy-generation devices made from novel nanomaterials. We have prepared platinum nanoparticle-decorated silicon nanowire/carbon core–shell nanomaterials (SiNW/C@Pt). The processing steps are relatively simple, including wet chemical etching to form the silicon nanowires (SiNWs), chemical vapor deposition to form the carbon shell, and drop-casting and thermal treatment to embed platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs). This nanomaterial was then tested as the counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). SiNW/C@Pt shows potential as a good electrocatalyst based on material characterization data from Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Raman spectroscopy shows that the surface reactivity of the SiNW/C is increased by the decoration of Pt NPs. These data also show that the carbon shell included both graphitic (sp 2 hybridization) and defective (sp 3 hybridization) phases of carbon. We achieved the minimum charge-transfer resistance of 0.025 ? · cm 2 and the maximum efficiency of 9.46% with a symmetric dummy cell and DSSC device fabricated from the SiNW/C@Pt CEs, respectively.

Keywords: silicon nanowires (SiNWs); defective carbon; core–shell; dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); counter electrodes (CEs); electrocatalytic activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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