Synthesis of lignite-based Ni/C composite with low-medium temperature pyrolysis method as an efficient Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

In order to obtain inexpensive Pt-free counter electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells and expand the application fields of low-rank coal, lignite-based Ni/C composite was prepared by low-medium temperature pyrolysis method using Huolinhe lignite as raw materials. The structure chemical components as-synthesized characterized XRD, FT-IR, TG, Raman, SEM, TEM, XPS, electrocatalytic activity investigated cyclic voltammetric curve, electrochemical impedance spectrum, Tafel polarization curve. It is found that improved after composited with Ni species form composite, which helps catalyze reduction electrolyte thus improve photoelectric conversion efficiency cells. (η) based on 3.42% (Jsc = 11.49 mA cm−2, Voc 0.75 V, FF 0.40) significantly higher than (η 0.20%, Jsc 3.16 0.72 0.09). This indicates composition are an effective photovoltaic performance synthesized applied in DSSCs.