Microfluidic-Generated Seeds for Gold Nanotriangle Synthesis in Three or Two Steps.

Nanoparticle synthesis has drawn great attention in the last decades. The study of crystal growth mechanisms and optimization of the existing methods lead to the increasing accessibility of nanomaterials, such as gold nanotriangles which have great potential in the fields of plasmonics and catalysis. To form such structures, a careful balance of reaction parameters has to be maintained.

Self-Assembled Graphene/MWCNT Bilayers as Platinum-Free Counter Electrode in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

We describe the preparation and properties of bilayers of graphene- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as an alternative to conventionally used platinum-based counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The counter electrodes were prepared by a simple and easy-to-implement double self-assembly process. The preparation allows for controlling the surface roughness of electrode in a layer-by-layer deposition.

Structure of Ni(OH) intermediates determines the efficiency of NiO-based photocathodes - a case study using novel mesoporous NiO nanostars.

We report the wet chemical synthesis of mesoporous NiO nanostars (NS) as photocathode material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The growth mechanism of NiO NS as a new morphology of NiO is assessed by TEM and spectroscopic investigations. The NiO NS are obtained upon annealing of preformed β-Ni(OH) into pristine NiO with low defect concentrations and favorable electronic configuration for dye sensitization.

ZnO Nanostructures for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using the TEMPO /TEMPO Redox Mediator and Ruthenium(II) Photosensitizers with 1,2,3-Triazole-Derived Ligands.

A series of thiocyanate-free bis(tridentate) ruthenium(II) complexes incorporating 1,2,3-triazole-derived NNN-, NCN-, and CNC-coordinating ligands has been employed for sensitizing ZnO photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Additionally, the first use of the TEMPO /TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl) redox mediator as a surrogate for the I /I redox couple in ZnO nanostructured DSSCs is presented. Compared with I /I -based electrolytes, shorter charge lifetimes and diffusion lengths were determined for the TEMPO /TEMPO-based electrolyte.