Soft-template synthesized ordered mesoporous carbon counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) with a high surface area (∼1575 m2/g) and bimodal pores (2.5 and 6.1 nm) was synthesized using a soft-template method employing triblock copolymer F127 as the structure directing agent and then applied as a low-temperature processable counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The OMC counter electrode-based DSSC shows an energy conversion efficiency of 7.46%, whereas that of a Vulcan counter electrode is 4.30%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis reveals decreased charge transfer resistance at the OMC counter electrode–electrolyte interface, thus improved fill factor and energy conversion efficiency.