General Strategy for Controlled Synthesis of NixPy/Carbon and Its Evaluation as a Counter Electrode Material in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Hydrothermal treatment of nickel acetate and phosphoric acid aqueous solution followed with a carbothermal reduction assisted phosphorization process using sucrose as the carbon source for the controlled synthesis of NixPy/C was successfully realized for the first time. The critical synthesis factors, including reduction temperature, phosphorus/nickel ratio, pH, and sucrose amount were systematically investigated. Remarkably, the carbon serves as a reducer and plays a determinative role in the transformation of Ni2P2O7 into Ni2P/C. The Synthesis strategy is divided into four distinguishable stages: (1) hydrothermal preparation of Ni-3(PO4)(2)center dot 8H(2)O precursor for stabilizing P sources; (2) dimerization, of Ni-3(PO4)(2)center dot 8H(2)O into more thermal stable Ni2P2O7 amorphous phase along with the generation of NiO; (3) carbothermal reduction and phosphidation of NiO into NixPy (0 <= y/x <= 0.5); and (4) further phosphidation of mixed-phase NixPy and, carbothermal reduction of Ni2P2O7 into single-phase Ni2P. The resultant Ni2P, the highly :active phase in electrocatalysis, was applied as counter electrode,in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The DSSC based on Ni2P with 10.4 wt.% carbon, delivers a power conversion efficiency of 9.57%, superior to that of state-of-the-art Pt-based cell (8.12%). The abundant Ni delta+ and P delta- active sites and the metal-like conductivity account for its outstanding catalytic performance.