@article { ISI:000337123100037, title = {Nanophase CulnS(2) nanosheets/CuS composite grown by the SILAR method leads to high performance as a counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells}, journal = {RSC Advances}, volume = {4}, number = {42}, year = {2014}, month = {MAY}, pages = {21989-21996}, publisher = {ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY}, address = {THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

Single phase CulnS(2) (CIS) nanosheets are synthesized on TiO2 coated FTO by the simple technique of Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption Reaction (SILAR) followed by annealing at 500 degrees C. Annealing at a lower temperature of 250 degrees C is found to yield CuS nanoparticles in addition to the CIS phase. Both single phase CIS and the CuS/CIS nanocomposite were examined as counter electrodes for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The CIS-CuS composite is found to have a synergistic effect on the catalytic performance toward the reduction of tri-iodide, yielding a power conversion efficiency of 6.3\% as compared to pristine CIS (5\%) or CuS (3.5\%). The possible reasons behind the high performance of the composite are elucidated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/c4ra01740d}, author = {Bhosale, Reshma K. and Agarkar, Shruti A. and Agrawal, Ishita and Naphade, Rounak A. and Ogale, Satishchandra} } @article { ISI:000330799900054, title = {Nickel cobalt sulfide nanoneedle array as an effective alternative to pt as a counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells}, journal = {RSC Advances}, volume = {4}, number = {16}, year = {2014}, month = {NOV}, pages = {8289-8294}, publisher = {ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY}, address = {THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

Self supported nickel cobalt sulfide (NCS) nanoneedles are directly formed on FTO glass substrates by sulphurization of nickel cobalt oxide nanoneedles (grown by a hydrothermal method) in the presence of a hydrogen sulfide and argon gas mixture. These NCS nanoneedles when used as a counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) show efficient catalytic activity towards the I-/I-3(-) redox couple, and lead to an impressive efficiency of 6.9\%, compared with 7.7\% obtained with a Pt electrode in similarly constructed devices.

}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/c3ra45981k}, author = {Banerjee, Abhik and Upadhyay, Kush Kumar and Bhatnagar, Sumit and Tathavadekar, Mukta and Bansode, Umesh P. and Agarkar, Shruti A. and Ogale, Satishchandra B.} } @article { ISI:000340975900102, title = {Novel precursors for anatase nanorods and their application in DSSCs}, journal = {Materials Chemistry and Physics}, volume = {147}, number = {3}, year = {2014}, month = {OCT}, pages = {1110-1116}, publisher = {ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA}, address = {PO BOX 564, 1001 LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND}, abstract = {

Syntheses for the formation of two new precursors for TiO2 nanorods: titanium propanediolate and titanium erythritolate, have been detailed. These precursors have a rod like morphology and have been found to have higher thermal stability than commercially available precursors. The conversion of the precursors to anatase phase of TiO2 involves a simple heating protocol and importantly the morphology is conserved. The resulting anatase nanorods have been characterised and evaluated as photoanodes in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Overall device efficiencies of 3.2\% and 2.3\% were achieved when anatase rods (obtained from titanium propanediolate and titanium erythritolate respectively) were used. These values are higher than the 1.1\% efficiency obtained from the control device (made with spherical anatase nanoparticles). It is found that forming ordered 1-D rods leads to enhanced charge transport and charge collection at the electrode along with a commensurate decrease in charge recombination. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {Inorganic compounds, Nanostructures, Non-crystalline materials, Sol-gel growth}, issn = {0254-0584}, doi = {10.1016/j.matchemphys.2014.06.065}, author = {Mishra, Biswajit and Agarkar, Shruti A. and Khushalani, Deepa} }