Biomass-derived carbon boosted catalytic properties of tungsten-based nanohybrids for accelerating the triiodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science Vol. 578; pp. 184 - 194
• Main Authors: Li, Jingwen, Yun, Sining, Han, Feng, Si, Yiming, Arshad, Asim, Zhang, Yongwei, Chidambaram, Brundha, Zafar, Nosheen, Qiao, Xinying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 15.10.2020
• Subjects: Biomass-derived carbon; carbon; catalysts; catalytic activity; copper; Counter electrode catalyst; Dye-sensitized solar cells; electrochemistry; electrodes; energy conversion; hot water treatment; manganese; nanohybrids; oxides; platinum; solar cells; synergism; Triiodide reduction reaction; Tungsten-based nanohybrids; zinc; Triiodide reduction reaction; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Tungsten-based nanohybrids; Biomass-derived carbon; Counter electrode catalyst
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.04.089

[Display omitted] •Biomass-derived carbon supported W-based nanohybrids are successfully prepared.•Biomass-derived carbon can be used as shape controlling agent.•W-based nanohybrid CEs show high electrocatalytic activity in the reduction of I3−.•A high PCE of 7.61% is obtained by using ZWO-C catalyst in DSSCs. Manganese tungstate (MnWO4), zinc tungstate (ZnWO4), and copper tungstate (CuWO4) embedded biomass-derived carbon (MWO-C, ZWO-C, CWO-C) was synthesized by hydrothermal treatment and investigated as counter electrode (CE) catalysts to test electrochemical activity. Biomass-derived carbon was used as the shape controlling agent, which changed the morphology of MWO from spherical to spindle-like. Owing to the synergistic effect between tungsten-based bimetal oxides and biomass-derived carbon, the MWO-C, ZWO-C, and CWO-C catalysts exhibited enhanced electrochemical performance in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) system. The MWO-C, ZWO-C and CWO-C catalysts in DSSCs showed outstanding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.33%, 7.61%, and 6.52%, respectively, as compared with 7.04% for Pt based devices. Biomass-derived carbon improves the catalytic properties of tungsten-based nanohybrids. The results showed that biomass-derived carbon-enhanced inorganic compound as CE catalysts are promising alternatives to Pt-based CE catalysts for energy conversion devices.