Structural and morphological characterization of CoMn-doped carbon nanofibers for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Low-cost and highly efficient electrode materials play a key role in the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This study presents the synthesis and detailed characterization of Co and Mn (CoMn) co-doped CNFs as a suitable counter electrode material for DSSCs. Electrospinning coupled with high-temperature calcination prepared the nanofibers, forming a porous conductive framework incorporated with CoMn NPs. SEM, TEM, XRD and EDS mapping studies further verified the homogenous dispersion and incorporation of CoMn in the CNF matrix. The resulting CoMn-CNFs exhibited good crystallinity, well-preserved fiber structure integrity, and well-dispersed catalytic centers. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analyses demonstrated a lower charge transfer resistance ([Formula: see text]) and higher electrocatalytic activity compared with pristine CNFs and single-metal-doped counterparts. In applications as counter electrodes in DSSCs, the CoMn-CNFs exhibited power conversion efficiency of 2.82%, short-circuit current density of 5.63[Formula: see text]mA/cm 2 and open-circuit voltage of 0.81[Formula: see text]V under standard AM 1.5G irradiation. These results show the synergistic effects of CoMn doping in maximizing electrocatalytic activity and charge transport and highlight the potential of multi-metal-doped carbon nanostructures as clean replacements for platinum-based electrodes in next-generation solar energy devices.