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Facile Synthesis and Characterization of Two Dimensional SnO2-Decorated Graphene Oxide as an Effective Counter Electrode in the DSSC

Authors :
Mohamed S. Mahmoud
Moaaed Motlak
Nasser A. M. Barakat
Source :
Catalysts, Vol 9, Iss 2, p 139 (2019)
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2019.

Abstract

SnO2-decorated graphene oxide (SnO2/GO) was synthesized by the modified Hummers’s method, followed by a chemical incorporation of SnO2 nanoparticles. Then, the nanocomposite was used as anon-precious counter electrode in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Although GO has a relatively poor electrical conductivity depending essentially on the extent of the graphite oxidation, presence of SnO2 enhanced its structural and electrochemical properties. The Pt-free counter electrode exhibited a distinct catalytic activity toward iodine reduction and a low resistance to electron transfer. Moreover, the decorated GO provided extra active sites for reducing I3− at the interface of the CE/electrolyte. In addition, the similarity of the dopant in the GO film and the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate promoted a strong assimilation between them. Therefore, SnO2-decorated GO, as a counter electrode, revealed an enhanced photon to electron conversion efficiency of 4.57%. Consequently, the prepared SnO2/GO can be sorted as an auspicious counter electrode for DSSCs.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20734344
Volume :
9
Issue :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Catalysts
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.27d31ba3b3a8485492d95e93d873e6bc
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9020139