Application of Cu₂S and Pt counter electrodes in TiO₂@h-BN nanocomposite fibers-based quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs)

This study synthesized two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)-doped TiO2@h-BN nanocomposite fibers in varying ratios (1 %, 3 %, 5 %, 7 %, and 10 %) using the electrospinning method. The nanocomposite fibers were produced and applied onto FTO glasses with a 0.25 cm2 active area using the same technique. The surfaces were coated with CdS quantum dots to fabricate quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The counter electrodes of the solar cells were evaluated using Pt and Cu2S. A significant increase in efficiency was observed in solar cells employing Cu2S counter electrodes. The short circuit current density of the 3 % h-BN doped TiO2@h-BN-CdS/Cu2S solar cell with a Cu2S counter electrode was measured at 3.04 mA/cm2, achieving an efficiency of 2.06 %. The sample with 1 % h-BN doping using a Pt counter electrode demonstrated a maximum short-circuit current of 2.24 mA/cm2 and an efficiency of 1.08 %. Compared to solar cells with Pt counter electrodes, the efficiency of cells with Cu2S counter electrodes increased by approximately 88 %.