New Insights into Improving the Photovoltaic Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells by Removing Platinum from the Counter Electrode Using a Graphene-MoS2 Composite or Hybrid

Abstract

Photovoltaic systems, such as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), are one of the useful tools for generating renewable and green energy. To develop this technology, obstacles such as cost and the use of expensive compounds must be overcome. Here, we employed a new MoS2/graphene hybrid or composite instead of platinum in the DSSCs. Furthermore, the correctness of the preparation of the MoS2/graphene hybrid or composite was evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and the results showed that the desired compound was synthesized correctly. Inexpensive organic dyes were used to prepare the DSSCs, and their chemical structure was investigated by density functional theory (DFT) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Finally, the DSSCs were fabricated using MoS2/graphene composite or hybrid, and to compare the results, the DSSCs were also prepared using platinum. Under the same conditions, the DSSCs with MoS2/graphene composite illustrated better efficiency than MoS2/graphene hybrid or/and graphene.