Novel etched iron oxide mediated synthesis of 3D tremella-like mesoporous Fe/N co-doped graphene composite as a highly efficient platinum-free counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. (10th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Jiaojiao; Lv, Tao; Xiang, Changli; Jia, Lishan; Liu, Qing; Wang, Kang; Shi, Hongwei; Lin, Huiting; Liu, Yiran; Liu, Huan; Wang, Xin
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 296(2019)
• Page Start: 165
• Page End: 173
• Publication Date: 2019-02-10
• Subjects: Fe2O3 -- Graphene -- Tremella-like -- Fe/N co-doped -- Dye-sensitized solar cell; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.09.107
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Abstract: Novel etched iron oxide mediated synthesis of 3D tremella-like mesoporous Fe/N co-doped graphene composite was investigated. Through a synergistic mediation of acid etched Fe2 O3 particles and released Fe 3+, the nanoflakes of graphene oxide were transformed to Fe-doped 3D tremella-like mesoporous structure in hydrothermal condition. With high temperature treatment using melamine as the nitrogen source, the novel 3D tremella-like mesoporous Fe/N co-doped graphene composite for platinum-free counter electrode of the sensitized solar cell was synthesized. The samples had good pore size distribution and large specific surface area, which could be considered as an advantage for the permeation of electrolyte and beneficial to reduce the mass transfer resistance and promote the charge transfer. Significantly, the formed Fe-NX species bonding on the surface of graphene had sturdy covalent structure with high catalytic activity, which contributed to the excellent electrochemical properties and counter-electrode performance of dye-sensitized solar cell. Consequently, the photoelectric conversion efficiency reached 6.52%, which exceeded 5.87% of Pt and 3.49% of reduced graphene oxide electrodes.