Low-cost platinum-free counter electrode of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 perovskite for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

In this work, the perovskite-type La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) oxide with perfect crystallinity was synthesized via sol-gel method and used as low-cost platinum-free counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSCs). The electrochemical characterizations indicate that LSMO electrode possesses excellent electrocatalytic activity for the I-3(-) reduction and excellent electrochemical stability in I-/I-3(-) electrolyte system. The DSSC based on this counter electrode achieves an energy conversion efficiency (eta) of 6.62%, which approaches 92.6% of the level obtained by using Pt as CE (eta = 7.15%). Theperovskite-type oxide is low-cost and can be massively produced via sol-gel method which is superior to the solvothermal method. This work makes an attempt to develop potential counter electrode materials in perovskite-type oxides, which can help reduce the cost of DSSCs and thereby encourage their fundamental research and commercial applications. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.