α-FeO hollow meso-microspheres grown on graphene sheets function as a promising counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Although nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanosheets of α-FeO on graphene sheets have been synthesized, it remains a challenge to grow 3D α-FeO nanomaterials with more sophisticated compositions and structures on the graphene sheets. Herein, we demonstrate a facile solvothermal route under controlled conditions to successfully fabricate 3D α-FeO hollow meso-microspheres on the graphene sheets (α-FeO/RGO HMM). Attributed to the combination of the catalytic features of α-FeO hollow meso-microspheres and the high conductivity of graphene, α-FeO/RGO HMM exhibited promising electrocatalytic performance as a counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).