Carbon Nanotube Electrode for Iodide/Tri-Iodide Ion Redox Reaction in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used as a counter electrode of a dye sensitized solar cell (DSC) instead of a Pt counter electrode. The CNT electrodes were fabricated by growing CNTs on metal substrates by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). The size and the amount of CNTs that varied with the microwave power of MPCVD improve the electrochemical characteristics of the CNT electrode which is superior to that of Pt counter electrode. The conversion efficiency of DSCs with the CNT counter electrodes was comparable to that with the Pt counter electrode taking into account of the incident light availability. This study suggests that the CNT counter electrode directly grown on metal substrate be promising to accomplish the high energy conversion efficiency of DSC.