Chemically synthesized Bi2S3, CuS and Bi2S3/CuS heterostructure materials as counter electrode: Dye sensitized solar cell application

Abstract

In the present work, we have successfully synthesized Bi2S3, CuS, and its heterojunction Bi2S3/CuS thin film on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass as counter electrodes. These depositions are done by simple, cost effective, and simply executable sequential chemical bath deposition (S-CBD) method. Well optimized preparative parameters led to the formation of good quality thin films of Bi2S3 and CuS films and heterojunction. The structural validation Bi2S3, CuS, and its heterojunction were achieved by X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering, surface morphological study observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and topology was confirmed by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). We have employed Bi2S3/CuS heterostructure as a counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). We have observed different parameters like short circuit current density (Jsc), open circuit voltage (Voc), Fill Factor (FF) and efficiency (n) by Current–voltage (J-V) characteristics. Though we do not achieve an anticipated outcome for heterostructure compared with conventional Platinum and Carbon black counter electrode, CuS separately found worthy as Counter electrode (CE) in DSSC.