Novel counter electrode catalysts of niobium oxides supersede Pt for dye-sensitized solar cellsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: X-Ray diffractogram peaks assignment of the synthesized Nb2O5and NbO2; morphological characterization of the synthesized Nb2O5and NbO2; preparation of Nb2O5, NbO2and Pt CEs and TiO2photoanode; fabrication of DSCs and symmetrical cells and characterization. See DOI: 10.1039/c1cc14973c

Synthesized niobium oxides (Nb2O5and NbO2) were applied for the first time as counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The DSC using NbO2CE showed a higher power conversion efficiency of 7.88%, compared with that of the DSC using Pt CE (7.65%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]