Electrochemical Properties of Platinized Counter Electrode on Based Stainless Steel Sheet for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Platinized stainless steel sheet (PSSS) can be used as an alternative counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The conversion efficiency of a typical platinized fluorine-doped tin oxide (PFTO) counter electrode in DSSC was 3.1%. With PSSS, however, an efficiency of 4.7% was achieved. The enhancement of conversion efficiency is approximately 150%. This result was obtained by introducing PSSS as a counter electrode which decreased the resistance of charge transfer on tight bonding between the interface of the platinum particles and stainless steel sheet substrate and large grain size of Pt cluster of counter electrode. These results were supported by measurements by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS).