Unveiling the Potential of MnxCo3–xS4 Electrocatalyst in Triiodide Reduction for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

The development of a low-cost and high-efficiency Pt-free counter electrode is an important goal to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. In this study, we successfully synthesized a Mn_xCo_3-xS₄-based counter electrode by a facile solvothermal synthesis technique. The electrocatalyst was directly deposited on a fluorine doped titanium oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate. Various characterization techniques such as Xray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to analyze the obtained Mn_xCo_3-xS₄ counter electrode material. The photovoltaic measurements performed on the dye-sensitized solar cells showed a remarkable improvement in energy conversion efficiency with the Mn_xCo_3-xS₄ counter electrode (8.60 %) compared to the conventional Pt (8.11 %). Moreover, the Mn_xCo_3-xS₄counter electrode exhibited excellent stability, further highlighting its potential as an efficient and durable alternative to Pt in dye-sensitized solar cells. Overall, our results contribute to the further development of Pt-free counter electrode materials for sustainable solar energy applications.