Fabrication of activated coconut shell charcoal and titanium dioxide nanoparticle composite counter electrode for quantum dot sensitized solar cells by doctor blade technique.
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| Title: | Fabrication of activated coconut shell charcoal and titanium dioxide nanoparticle composite counter electrode for quantum dot sensitized solar cells by doctor blade technique. |
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| Authors: | Sandamali, W. I.1,2 (AUTHOR) ishara.we@nifs.ac.lk, Senadeera, G. K. R.1,2 (AUTHOR), Perera, V. P. S.1 (AUTHOR), Dissanayake, M. A. K. L.2 (AUTHOR), Kumara, G. R. A.2 (AUTHOR), Medagedara, A. D. T.2 (AUTHOR), Bandara, T. M. W. J.3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing. May2026, Vol. 132 Issue 5, p1-21. 21p. |
| Subjects: | Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, Activated carbon, Thin film deposition, Electrolytes, Impedance spectroscopy, Cathodes, Solar cells, Photovoltaic power generation |
| Abstract: | A composite counter electrode (CE) based on activated coconut shell charcoal (AC) and TiO2 nanoparticles (AC/TiO2) was developed for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using the doctor blade technique. The fabrication conditions of the CEs were optimized by varying the material ratios, thermal treatment parameters, and CE thickness. The AC/TiO2 CEs were paired with CdS quantum dot-sensitized photoanodes and a polysulfide electrolyte to construct QDSSCs, and their performance was assessed. Morphological and structural analyses of the CEs were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. Chemical analysis of the CEs was carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and FTIR spectroscopy. The photovoltaic performance of the QDSSCs was assessed using current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). CdS QDSSCs with AC/TiO2 counter electrodes (CEs) achieved an overall power conversion efficiency of 1.73%, reflecting a 36.2% improvement over QDSSCs that used a traditional platinum (Pt) CE, which had an efficiency of 1.27%. The catalytic performance of the CEs was investigated through EIS, Tafel polarization, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests. These evaluations demonstrated a significant reduction in the charge transfer resistance at the electrolyte/CE interface and improved catalytic activity in the reduction of oxidized polysulfide electrolyte species with AC/TiO2 CEs compared to the Pt CE. The findings of this study suggest that AC/TiO2 CE shows significant potential as a counter electrode in QDSSCs that employ polysulfide electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 193808608 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Fabrication of activated coconut shell charcoal and titanium dioxide nanoparticle composite counter electrode for quantum dot sensitized solar cells by doctor blade technique. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sandamali%2C+W%2E+I%2E%22">Sandamali, W. I.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ishara.we@nifs.ac.lk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Senadeera%2C+G%2E+K%2E+R%2E%22">Senadeera, G. K. R.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Perera%2C+V%2E+P%2E+S%2E%22">Perera, V. P. S.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dissanayake%2C+M%2E+A%2E+K%2E+L%2E%22">Dissanayake, M. A. K. L.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kumara%2C+G%2E+R%2E+A%2E%22">Kumara, G. R. A.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Medagedara%2C+A%2E+D%2E+T%2E%22">Medagedara, A. D. T.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bandara%2C+T%2E+M%2E+W%2E+J%2E%22">Bandara, T. M. W. J.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Applied+Physics+A%3A+Materials+Science+%26+Processing%22">Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 132 Issue 5, p1-21. 21p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Titanium+dioxide+nanoparticles%22">Titanium dioxide nanoparticles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Activated+carbon%22">Activated carbon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thin+film+deposition%22">Thin film deposition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electrolytes%22">Electrolytes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Impedance+spectroscopy%22">Impedance spectroscopy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cathodes%22">Cathodes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Solar+cells%22">Solar cells</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Photovoltaic+power+generation%22">Photovoltaic power generation</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: A composite counter electrode (CE) based on activated coconut shell charcoal (AC) and TiO2 nanoparticles (AC/TiO2) was developed for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using the doctor blade technique. The fabrication conditions of the CEs were optimized by varying the material ratios, thermal treatment parameters, and CE thickness. The AC/TiO2 CEs were paired with CdS quantum dot-sensitized photoanodes and a polysulfide electrolyte to construct QDSSCs, and their performance was assessed. Morphological and structural analyses of the CEs were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. Chemical analysis of the CEs was carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and FTIR spectroscopy. The photovoltaic performance of the QDSSCs was assessed using current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). CdS QDSSCs with AC/TiO2 counter electrodes (CEs) achieved an overall power conversion efficiency of 1.73%, reflecting a 36.2% improvement over QDSSCs that used a traditional platinum (Pt) CE, which had an efficiency of 1.27%. The catalytic performance of the CEs was investigated through EIS, Tafel polarization, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests. These evaluations demonstrated a significant reduction in the charge transfer resistance at the electrolyte/CE interface and improved catalytic activity in the reduction of oxidized polysulfide electrolyte species with AC/TiO2 CEs compared to the Pt CE. The findings of this study suggest that AC/TiO2 CE shows significant potential as a counter electrode in QDSSCs that employ polysulfide electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s00339-026-09572-5 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles Type: general – SubjectFull: Activated carbon Type: general – SubjectFull: Thin film deposition Type: general – SubjectFull: Electrolytes Type: general – SubjectFull: Impedance spectroscopy Type: general – SubjectFull: Cathodes Type: general – SubjectFull: Solar cells Type: general – SubjectFull: Photovoltaic power generation Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Fabrication of activated coconut shell charcoal and titanium dioxide nanoparticle composite counter electrode for quantum dot sensitized solar cells by doctor blade technique. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sandamali, W. I. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Senadeera, G. K. R. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Perera, V. P. S. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dissanayake, M. A. K. L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kumara, G. R. A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Medagedara, A. D. T. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bandara, T. M. W. J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 09478396 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 132 – Type: issue Value: 5 Titles: – TitleFull: Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
