Iron pyrite thin film counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: high efficiency for iodine and cobalt redox electrolyte cells.

Iron pyrite has been the material of interest in the solar community due to its optical properties and abundance. However, the progress is marred due to the lack of control on the surface and intrinsic chemistry of pyrite. In this report, we show iron pyrite as an efficient counter electrode (CE) material alternative to the conventional Pt and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) CEs in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).

Mesoporous cerium oxide nanospheres for the visible-light driven photocatalytic degradation of dyes.

A facile, solvothermal synthesis of mesoporous cerium oxide nanospheres is reported for the purpose of the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and future applications in sustainable energy research. The earth-abundant, relatively affordable, mixed valence cerium oxide sample, which consists of predominantly Ce7O12, has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron and UV-vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Together with N2 sorption experiments, the data confirms that the new cerium oxide material is mesoporous and absorbs visible light.

A V2O5/conductive-polymer core/shell nanobelt array on three-dimensional graphite foam: a high-rate, ultrastable, and freestanding cathode for lithium-ion batteries.

A thin polymer shell helps V2O5 a lot. Short V2O5 nanobelts are grown directly on 3D graphite foam as a lithium-ion battery (LIB) cathode material. A further coating of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) thin shell is the key to the high performance.

Synthesis of free-standing metal sulfide nanoarrays via anion exchange reaction and their electrochemical energy storage application.

Metal sulfides are an emerging class of high-performance electrode materials for solar cells and electrochemical energy storage devices. Here, a facile and powerful method based on anion exchange reactions is reported to achieve metal sulfide nanoarrays through a topotactical transformation from their metal oxide and hydroxide preforms. Demonstrations are made to CoS and NiS nanowires, nanowalls, and core-branch nanotrees on carbon cloth and nickel foam substrates.

Oxide nanostructures hyperbranched with thin and hollow metal shells for high-performance nanostructured battery electrodes.

High-performance electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices require the ability to modify and assemble electrode materials with superior reactivity and structural stability. The fabrication of different oxide/metal core-branch nanoarrays with adjustable components and morphologies (e.g.