Effectiveness of PDDA in Stainless Steel Mesh-Based Counter Electrode in DSSC

This study used stainless steel mesh, carbon ink, and PDDA to fabricate the counter electrode. Generally, platinum is used for the counter electrode of DSSC because of its high ORR activity and excellent electrocatalytic activity. However, the platinum electrode has some demerits, such as high cost. Therefore, stainless steel mesh-based counter electrode was used in this study for the replacement of platinum-based counter electrodes to reduce the cost. This electrode does not compromise the flexibility of the DSSC. Furthermore, PDDA was used to facilitate the ORR through the electron transfer process. Carbon ink was proved to be an effective and low-cost counter electrode material. The counter electrode was flexible, low cost. To make the counter electrode, the stainless steel mesh was dipped in carbon ink mixed with PDDA, followed by drying at room temperature. The ratio of PDDA to carbon ink was 1:4. By using this fabrication method, two counter electrodes of carbon ink only and carbon ink mixed with PDDA (carbon ink/PDDA) were fabricated. The carbon ink/PDDA electrode generated about three times higher power density than the carbon ink-only electrode.