Scalable horizontal-dipping electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells

Up-scaling remains a great opportunity to achieve in the third generation of solar cells. This article describes a novel method that combines electrodeposition with the roll-to-roll technique, which may be useful in the current mass production of dye-sensitized solar cells. The results show that large areas of conductive substrates can easily be covered with catalytically active platinum nanoparticles using a small amount of aqueous solution of the platinum precursor salt sliding over a substrate. The surface coverage is controlled by the applied current density, which directly impacts the catalytic properties of the substrate. Electrodeposition proves to be a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and time-saving alternative compared to commonly used screen-printing methods. Additionally, the electrodeposited nanoparticles exhibit even higher electrocatalytic performance in cyclic voltammetry measurements. Dye-sensitized solar cells utilizing cathodes with platinum nanoparticles prepared with different deposition currents demonstrate efficiency in the range of 4.84–5.45 %, while referential cells with screen-printed electrodes achieve an average efficiency of 5.14 %. • Scalable method for horizontal-dipping electrodeposition is able to cover large areas of conductive substrates. • Just 100 μl of 0.1 M K₂PtCl₄ solution can uniformly cover up to 7500 mm² of FTO glass with Pt nanoparticles. • Surface coverage can be easily controlled by applied current density. • Platinum coverage has a direct impact on the catalytic properties of the substrate. • Dye-sensitized solar cells with electrodeposited cathodes show efficiency (4.84–5.45%) similar to screen-printed ones (5.14%).