Synergistic power conversion efficiency contribution of counter electrode components in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Paul K. Ngumbi; Simon W. Mugo; James M. Ngaruiya; Sebusi Odisitse; Cecil K. King'ondu

doi:10.1016/j.optmat.2022.112667

Synergistic power conversion efficiency contribution of counter electrode components in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Paul K. Ngumbi, Simon W. Mugo, James M. Ngaruiya, Sebusi Odisitse, Cecil K. King'ondu

Botswana International University of Science & Technology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Plasmonic influence of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the performance of graphene (Gr)-platinum (Pt) nanocomposite counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated. Solar cells with Pt based CEs namely: Pt, Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt presented photocurrent densities (J_sc) of 9.10, 9.55 and 9.92 mA/cm² and power conversion efficiencies of 3.7, 4.2, and 4.6%, in that order, translating to 13.4 and 24.9% enhancement for Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt, respectively, based on the control Pt cell. The efficiency of Gr/AuNPs with no Pt layer was 1.4% constituting a 62.8% decrease compared to Pt cell and 236.0% lower than the Gr/AuNPs/Pt cell. The individual performance contribution of Gr in the Pt solar cell was 13.4% while that of AuNPs was 10.1%. Enhancement of the solar cells efficiency by both graphene and AuNPs was attributed to the increased electrocatalytic activity of the graphene matrix and the increased light absorption resulting from the plasmonic resonance property of AuNPs.

Original language	English
Article number	112667
Journal	Optical Materials
Volume	131
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2022.112667
Publication status	Published - Sept 2022

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Spectroscopy
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1016/j.optmat.2022.112667

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title = "Synergistic power conversion efficiency contribution of counter electrode components in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells",

abstract = "Plasmonic influence of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the performance of graphene (Gr)-platinum (Pt) nanocomposite counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated. Solar cells with Pt based CEs namely: Pt, Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt presented photocurrent densities (Jsc) of 9.10, 9.55 and 9.92 mA/cm2 and power conversion efficiencies of 3.7, 4.2, and 4.6%, in that order, translating to 13.4 and 24.9% enhancement for Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt, respectively, based on the control Pt cell. The efficiency of Gr/AuNPs with no Pt layer was 1.4% constituting a 62.8% decrease compared to Pt cell and 236.0% lower than the Gr/AuNPs/Pt cell. The individual performance contribution of Gr in the Pt solar cell was 13.4% while that of AuNPs was 10.1%. Enhancement of the solar cells efficiency by both graphene and AuNPs was attributed to the increased electrocatalytic activity of the graphene matrix and the increased light absorption resulting from the plasmonic resonance property of AuNPs.",

author = "Ngumbi, {Paul K.} and Mugo, {Simon W.} and Ngaruiya, {James M.} and Sebusi Odisitse and King'ondu, {Cecil K.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was partly supported by the National Research Fund Kenya (Grant No. NACOSTI/RCD/ST&I/7 TH CALL/PhD/088 ). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1016/j.optmat.2022.112667",

language = "English",

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AU - Ngumbi, Paul K.

AU - Mugo, Simon W.

AU - Ngaruiya, James M.

AU - Odisitse, Sebusi

AU - King'ondu, Cecil K.

PY - 2022/9

Y1 - 2022/9

N2 - Plasmonic influence of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the performance of graphene (Gr)-platinum (Pt) nanocomposite counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated. Solar cells with Pt based CEs namely: Pt, Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt presented photocurrent densities (Jsc) of 9.10, 9.55 and 9.92 mA/cm2 and power conversion efficiencies of 3.7, 4.2, and 4.6%, in that order, translating to 13.4 and 24.9% enhancement for Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt, respectively, based on the control Pt cell. The efficiency of Gr/AuNPs with no Pt layer was 1.4% constituting a 62.8% decrease compared to Pt cell and 236.0% lower than the Gr/AuNPs/Pt cell. The individual performance contribution of Gr in the Pt solar cell was 13.4% while that of AuNPs was 10.1%. Enhancement of the solar cells efficiency by both graphene and AuNPs was attributed to the increased electrocatalytic activity of the graphene matrix and the increased light absorption resulting from the plasmonic resonance property of AuNPs.

AB - Plasmonic influence of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the performance of graphene (Gr)-platinum (Pt) nanocomposite counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated. Solar cells with Pt based CEs namely: Pt, Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt presented photocurrent densities (Jsc) of 9.10, 9.55 and 9.92 mA/cm2 and power conversion efficiencies of 3.7, 4.2, and 4.6%, in that order, translating to 13.4 and 24.9% enhancement for Gr/Pt and Gr/AuNPs/Pt, respectively, based on the control Pt cell. The efficiency of Gr/AuNPs with no Pt layer was 1.4% constituting a 62.8% decrease compared to Pt cell and 236.0% lower than the Gr/AuNPs/Pt cell. The individual performance contribution of Gr in the Pt solar cell was 13.4% while that of AuNPs was 10.1%. Enhancement of the solar cells efficiency by both graphene and AuNPs was attributed to the increased electrocatalytic activity of the graphene matrix and the increased light absorption resulting from the plasmonic resonance property of AuNPs.

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Synergistic power conversion efficiency contribution of counter electrode components in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

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