Fabrication of high performance Pt/Ti counter electrodes on Ti mesh for flexible large-area dye-sensitized solar cells

High performance and homogeneous platinum (Pt) nanoparticles is electrodeposited onto titanium (Ti) mesh to form counter electrodes for use in large-area flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The obtained Pt/Ti counter electrode shows high electrocatalytic activity for the I-3(-)/I- redox reaction, low charge transfer resistance (49.57 Omega cm(2) with an area of 80 cm(2)) and good light transmittance (92.31%). Based on the counter electrode, a light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of 6.13% is achieved for a flexible DSSC with an area of 80 cm(2), and a maximum power output of 0.443W is reached for a flexible DSSC with an area of 160 cm(2), under an outdoors natural light irradiation with an intensity of 55 mW cm(-2). The present findings should accelerate the practical application of flexible DSSCs. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.