Pt nanoparticle-functionalized RGO counter electrode for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

In this paper, we present a facile method for replacing conventional Pt-based counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) for the alternative low-cost nanostructured material containing reduced graphene oxide (RGO). Pt-NPs/RGO-based nanohybrid layers were synthesized at low temperature on a conductive glass substrate using microwave-assisted heating reduction strategy. The obtained material was characterized using XRD, SEM and TEM measurements and used for fabrication layered CEs on glass substrates. Photovoltaic characteristics of the DSCs based on Pt nanoparticle-functionalized RGO CEs were investigated under simulated AM1.5G solar illumination at an intensity of 1000 W/m$^{2}$. The obtained results have shown that Pt-NPs decorated RGO surfaces can be successfully used as CEs in high-efficiency DSCs and may be promising as low-cost electrodes in energy storage devices.