Synthesis of α-Mo2C by Carburization of α-MoO3 Nanowires and Its Electrocatalytic Activity towards Tri-iodide Reduction for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Nanowire-shaped alpha-MoO3 was synthesized on a large scale by hydrothermal route. Nanocrystalline alpha-Mo2C phase was obtained by the carburization of alpha-MoO3 nanowires with urea as a carbon source precursor. The phase purity and crystalline size of the synthesized materials were ascertained by using powder X-ray diffraction. The shape and morphology of synthesized materials were characterized by field -emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The electrocatalytic activity of alpha-Mo2C for 1(-)/I-3(-) redox couple was investigated by the cyclic voltammetry. The synthesized alpha-Mo2C was subsequently applied as counter electrode in dye -sensitized solar cells to replace the expensive platinum. Copyright (C) 2016, The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology. Published by Elsevier Limited.