In the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), carbon counter electrode has been tested for replacing the platinum counter electrode which has two drawbacks: limited surface area and high material cost. Poor mechanical stability of carbon layer due to weak bonding strength to electrically conductive TCO (transparent conducting oxide) glass substrate is a crucial barrier for practical application of carbon counter electrode. In the present study a carbon counter electrode with high conversion efficiency, comparable to Pt counter electrode, could be fabricated by adaption of a bonding layer between particulate carbon material and TCO substrate.

ZnO nanostructures with various shapes were synthesized under ambient pressure condition by a wet chemical reaction method. Nanorods of ZnO with hexagonal cross-section and their aggregates with radiate shape were synthesized. Precursor concentration affected considerably the shape evolution of ZnO nanorods. Low precursor concentration was proved to be more preferable to the growth of ZnO nanorods, which is attributed to the intrinsic characteristics of chemical reaction in the synthesis of ZnO from zinc compounds.