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Transparent Platinum Counter Electrode for Building Integrated Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2013

Anastasiia Iefanova
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD-57007, USA
Mahdi Farrokh Baroughi
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD-57007, USA
Daren Davoux
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD-57007, USA
Umesh Gautam
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD-57007, USA
Dilip Dachhepati
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD-57007, USA
Jeevan Nepal
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD-57007, USA
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Abstract

A new type of counter-electrode based on platinum (Pt) nanoclusters has been introduced for semi-transparent dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This electrode is fabricated using a drop coating method where Pt nanoparticles dispersed in an acetone solvent are applied on a heated indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) images suggest that the Pt nanoparticles form a nanoporous structure with a large surface area while the distribution of Pt appears to be uniform on the surface of the ITO layer. UV/visible/near infrared transmittance spectroscopy showed that the Pt/ITO/glass electrode is highly transparent with a maximum transparency of 80% at 550 nm.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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