A novel Pt-free counter electrode based on MOF derived ZnO/NiCo2O4/Nb2C for cost effective dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)
Nizamudeen CHERUPURAKAL, Krishnapriya RAMACHANDRAN
Abstract. The development of sustainable, cost-effective, and high-performance counter electrodes (CEs) remains a critical challenge for advancing dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). While Platinum (Pt) is traditionally used due to its superior catalytic activity and conductivity, its scarcity and high cost necessitate the urgent investigation of Pt-free alternatives. In this work, we report a novel Pt-free counter electrode based on a MOF-derived ZnO/NiCo₂O₄/Nb2C MXene composite for DSSC application. The material was synthesized via a hydrothermal process and thoroughly characterized for its structural and performance properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of ZnO, NiCo₂O₄ and Nb2C, exhibiting characteristic peaks at 36.3°, 34.1°, and 40.3°, respectively. Morphological and structural features were further analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) techniques. The optimized ZnO/NiCo₂O₄/Nb2C MXene CE achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.08%, which is comparable to that of conventional Pt-based DSSCs under standard illumination. These results demonstrate the combined effect of high catalytic activity, fast charge transfer, and robust structural integrity inherent to the prepared MOF-derived composite. This study proves that the ZnO/NiCo₂O₄/Nb2C MXene composite is a viable, low-cost solution for platinum-free CEs, significantly advancing DSSCs towards practical commercialization and large-scale energy harvesting applications.
Keywords
ZnO, NiCo₂O₄, Nb2C, Counter Electrode, DSSCs
Published online 6/20/2026, 6 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Nizamudeen CHERUPURAKAL, Krishnapriya RAMACHANDRAN, A novel Pt-free counter electrode based on MOF derived ZnO/NiCo2O4/Nb2C for cost effective dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 67, pp 118-123, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904176-17
The article was published as article 17 of the book Climate Action and Sustainability
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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