Enhancing photovoltaic performance in dye-sensitized solar cells using nanostructured NiS/MoS2 composite counter electrodes

This study investigates the utilization of nanostructured NiS/MoS2 composites as a cost-effective and platinumfree alternative for counter electrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). Employing straightforward chemical synthesis techniques, we successfully prepared NiS/MoS2 materials characterized by exceptional crystallinity and purity. By harnessing the superior attributes of NiS nanowires and MoS2 nanoparticles, such as enhanced charge transport and porosity, we engineered a highly efficient composite counter electrode. This optimized nanostructured NiS/MoS2 counter electrode significantly enhances electrocatalytic performance and charge transport properties, both crucial features for effective DSSCs. As a result, the DSSC efficiency is elevated from 5.88 % for the bare NiS counter electrode and 6.83 % for the MoS2 counterpart to approximately 8.8 %. Remarkably, this surpasses the efficiency of the gold-standard Pt counter electrode, which achieves approximately 8.1 % efficiency. This remarkable 7.5 % efficiency improvement holds great promise for the future of DSSCs, offering the potential for higher efficiency at a lower cost.