%0 Journal Article %A Tachan, Zion %A Shalom, Menny %A Hod, Idan %A Rühle, Sven %A Tirosh, Shay %A Zaban, Arie %D 2011 %T PbS as a Highly Catalytic Counter Electrode for Polysulfide-Based Quantum Dot Solar Cells %U https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/PbS_as_a_Highly_Catalytic_Counter_Electrode_for_Polysulfide_Based_Quantum_Dot_Solar_Cells/2667556 %R 10.1021/jp112010m.s001 %2 https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/4329937 %K Pb metal foil %K power conversion efficiency %K Catalytic Counter Electrode %K Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy %K CdSe quantum dot %K PbS counter electrode %K polysulfide %K charge transfer resistance values %K counter electrode %K mesoporous TiO 2 electrode %K alternative counter electrodes %K circuit %K charge transfer resistance %X We show that a significant improvement of the light to electric power conversion efficiency of quantum dot sensitized solar cells with a polysulfide electrolyte can be achieved when a PbS counter electrode is used. An acid pretreatment of a Pb metal foil followed by dipping into polysulfide solution provides a counter electrode which improves the short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and fill factor compared to commonly used Pt electrodes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals a low charge transfer resistance between polysulfide and PbS, indicating the high catalytic activity of PbS. Moreover, a comparison with reported charge transfer resistance values at open circuit potential for alternative counter electrodes for polysulfide shows that PbS is the most catalytic of all. For a CdSe quantum dot sensitized mesoporous TiO2 electrode, we achieved a conversion efficiency of 3% using PbS as a counter electrode. %I ACS Publications