Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applications
An interesting approach of including an upconverter in the MoS2 counter electrode can yield broadband light harvesting Pt-free DSSC assembly. Here different upconverter (UC) nanoparticles (Yb, Er incorporated NaYF4, YF3, CeO2 & Y2O3) were synthesized and loaded in MoS2 thin film by hydrother...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Chemistry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2024.1511600/full |
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| author | J. Kawya M. Durairaj S. Anandan T. C. Sabari Girisun |
| author_facet | J. Kawya M. Durairaj S. Anandan T. C. Sabari Girisun |
| author_sort | J. Kawya |
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| description | An interesting approach of including an upconverter in the MoS2 counter electrode can yield broadband light harvesting Pt-free DSSC assembly. Here different upconverter (UC) nanoparticles (Yb, Er incorporated NaYF4, YF3, CeO2 & Y2O3) were synthesized and loaded in MoS2 thin film by hydrothermal method. The inclusion of UCs in MoS2 films exposed without any secondary formation of upconverters and the uniform deposition of the films are confirmed through XRD and FESEM analysis respectively. The absorption spectrum (UV-Vis-NIR) confirms the increase in absorption intensity in visible and NIR regions due to the incorporation of UCs. Under 980 nm excitation, the UCs-loaded MoS2 films show emission in blue (450–490 nm), green (520–540 nm) and red (600–700 nm) regions due to the f-f inner transition occurring in the Er ions. The oxide and fluoride UCs-based DSSCs were fabricated with an FTO/TiO2/N719/Triiodide electrolyte/UC@MoS2/FTO assembly. Oxide UCs show greater electrocatalytic activity, which might be owed to the films exposed with more catalytic active sites favourable for ion transportation in the I−/I−3 electrolyte. Among them, higher photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.1% was witnessed for (Y2O3: Er, Yb) @MoS2 counter electrode-based DSSC which is due to the good conductivity (RS) of the film, the longer electron lifetime and photon harvesting enhancement by upconversion process. It is notably convinced that the UC-loaded MoS2 films can be used as an effective counter electrode for the possible realization of upconverter DSSC and used for broadband light absorption. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7610a9edab0b475d8e90308574b94bc3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2646 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj-art-7610a9edab0b475d8e90308574b94bc32025-01-15T06:11:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemistry2296-26462025-01-011210.3389/fchem.2024.15116001511600Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applicationsJ. Kawya0M. Durairaj1S. Anandan2T. C. Sabari Girisun3Nanophotonics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, IndiaNanophotonics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, IndiaNanomaterials and Solar Energy Conversion Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, IndiaNanophotonics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, IndiaAn interesting approach of including an upconverter in the MoS2 counter electrode can yield broadband light harvesting Pt-free DSSC assembly. Here different upconverter (UC) nanoparticles (Yb, Er incorporated NaYF4, YF3, CeO2 & Y2O3) were synthesized and loaded in MoS2 thin film by hydrothermal method. The inclusion of UCs in MoS2 films exposed without any secondary formation of upconverters and the uniform deposition of the films are confirmed through XRD and FESEM analysis respectively. The absorption spectrum (UV-Vis-NIR) confirms the increase in absorption intensity in visible and NIR regions due to the incorporation of UCs. Under 980 nm excitation, the UCs-loaded MoS2 films show emission in blue (450–490 nm), green (520–540 nm) and red (600–700 nm) regions due to the f-f inner transition occurring in the Er ions. The oxide and fluoride UCs-based DSSCs were fabricated with an FTO/TiO2/N719/Triiodide electrolyte/UC@MoS2/FTO assembly. Oxide UCs show greater electrocatalytic activity, which might be owed to the films exposed with more catalytic active sites favourable for ion transportation in the I−/I−3 electrolyte. Among them, higher photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.1% was witnessed for (Y2O3: Er, Yb) @MoS2 counter electrode-based DSSC which is due to the good conductivity (RS) of the film, the longer electron lifetime and photon harvesting enhancement by upconversion process. It is notably convinced that the UC-loaded MoS2 films can be used as an effective counter electrode for the possible realization of upconverter DSSC and used for broadband light absorption.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2024.1511600/fullMoS2 counter electrodeupconverter nanoparticlesDSSCbroadband absorptionupconversion (UC) materials |
| spellingShingle | J. Kawya M. Durairaj S. Anandan T. C. Sabari Girisun Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applications Frontiers in Chemistry MoS2 counter electrode upconverter nanoparticles DSSC broadband absorption upconversion (UC) materials |
| title | Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applications |
| title_full | Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applications |
| title_fullStr | Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applications |
| title_short | Upconverter loaded MoS2 counter electrode for broadband dye-sensitized solar cell applications |
| title_sort | upconverter loaded mos2 counter electrode for broadband dye sensitized solar cell applications |
| topic | MoS2 counter electrode upconverter nanoparticles DSSC broadband absorption upconversion (UC) materials |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2024.1511600/full |
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