J Mater Sci Technol ›› 2007, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (05): 577-582.

• Research Articles •     Next Articles

Recent Progress of Counter Electrodes in Nanocrystalline Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Kexin LI, Zhexun YU, Yanhong LUO, Dongmei LI, Qingbo MENG   

  1. Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China
  • Received:2007-04-13 Revised:2007-07-22 Online:2007-09-28 Published:2009-10-10
  • Contact: Qingbo MENG

Abstract: Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) consists a combination of several different materials: photoanodes with nanoparticulated semiconductors, sensitizers, electrolytes and counter electrodes (CEs). Each materials performs specific task for the conversion of solar energy into electricity. The main function of CE is to transfer electrons to the redox electrolyte and regenerate iodide ion. The work of CE is mainly focused on the studies of the kinetic performance and stability of the traditional CEs to improve the overall efficiency of DSC, seeking novel design concepts or new materials. In this review, the development and research progress of different CE materials and their electrochemical performance, and the problems are discussed.

Key words: Counter electrode, Dye-sensitized solar cell, Carbon, Polymer