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Fabrication of platinum nanoparticle counter electrode for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells by controlled thermal reduction time

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Abstract

We report the effect of the thermal reduction time during sintering on the electrocatalytic activity and the morphology of platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) fabricated using thermal decomposition method. A uniform and dense distribution of Pt-NPs on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrate was achieved by controlling the thermal reduction time higher than 15 min and this morphology of Pt-NPs was responded for high electrocatalytic performance of counter electrode (CE). As expected, the excellent electrocatalytic activity with low charge-transfer resistance of 1.04 Ω cm2 and highly conductivity of Pt-NPs CE prepared at the thermal reduction time of 15 min during sintering was obtained, which was desirable for dye-sensitized solar cells. The energy conversion efficiency of 9.43 % was obtained for the thermal reduction time of 15 min with fill factor of 63.05 %, J sc of 18.82 mA cm−2 and V oc of 795 mV.

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Acknowledgements

This research is funded by Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under Grant number 103.05-2012.53.

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Correspondence to Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa or Van-Duong Dao.

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10853_2014_8199_MOESM1_ESM.docx

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 265 kb). Figure S1 The relationship between efficiency of Pt-NPs CEs and heating rate fitted with Gaussian curve (red line). Figure S2 The particle size distribution of Pt-NPs based on SEM images of Pt-NPs CEs prepared by thermal decomposition method with different thermal reduction time during sintering process: (a) 1 min, (b) 15 min, (c) 30 min and (d) 60 min

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Hoa, N.T.Q., Dao, VD. & Choi, HS. Fabrication of platinum nanoparticle counter electrode for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells by controlled thermal reduction time. J Mater Sci 49, 4973–4978 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8199-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8199-y

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