Manipulation of MWCNT Concentration in MWCNT/TiO2Nanocomposite Thin Films for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using multiwalled carbon nanotube/titanium dioxide (MWCNT/TiO2) was successfully synthesized using sol-gel method. In this method, it has been performed under various acid treatments MWCNT concentration level at (a) 0.00 g, (b) 0.01 g, (c) 0.02 g, and (d) 0.03 g. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study surface roughness of the MWCNT/TiO2thin films. The average roughness results for 0.00 g, 0.01 g, 0.02 g, and 0.03 g were 10.995, 18.308, 24.322, and 25.723 nm, respectively. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analysis showned the inner structural design of the MWCNT/TiO2particles. The TiO2nanoparticles covered almost all the area of MWCNT particles. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) gave the morphological surface structure of the thin films. The thin films formed in good distribution with homogenous design. The DSSC with MWCNT/TiO2electrode containing 0.03 g MWCNT were resulted in the highest efficiency of 2.80% with short-circuit current densityJscof 9.42 mA/cm2and open-circuit voltageVocof 0.65 V.

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EFFECTS OF TiO2 FILM THICKNESS AND ELECTROLYTE CONCENTRATION ON PHOTOVOLTAIC PERFORMANCE OF DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELL

Surface Review and Letters ◽

10.1142/s0218625x17500652 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (05) ◽

pp. 1750065 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

D. L. DOMTAU ◽

J. SIMIYU ◽

E. O. AYIETA ◽

L. O. NYAKITI ◽

B. MUTHOKA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Film Thickness ◽

Electrolyte Concentration ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Photovoltaic Performance ◽

Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ◽

Scanning Tunneling ◽

Dye Sensitized ◽

Vis Spectroscopy

Effects of film thickness and electrolyte concentration on the photovoltaic performance of TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) were studied. Nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 thin films with varying thicknesses (3.2–18.9[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m) have been deposited on FTO/glass substrates by screen printing method as work electrodes for DSSC. The prepared samples were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy/Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (AFM/STM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The optimal thickness of the TiO2 photoanode is 13.5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. Short-circuit photocurrent density ([Formula: see text]) increases with film thickness due to enlargement of surface area whereas open-circuit voltage decreases with increase in thickness due to increase in electron diffusion length to the electrode. However, the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] of DSSC with a film thickness of 18.9[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m (7.5[Formula: see text]mA/cm2 and 0.687[Formula: see text]V) are smaller than those of DSSC with a TiO2 film thickness of 13.5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m (9.9[Formula: see text]mA/cm2 and 0.734[Formula: see text]V). This is because the increased thickness of TiO2 thin film resulted in the decrease in the transmittance of TiO2 thin films hence reducing the incident light intensity on the N719 dye. Photovoltaic performance also depends greatly on the redox couple concentration in iodide[Formula: see text]triiodide. [Formula: see text] decreases as the redox concentration increases as a result of increased viscosity of the solution which lowers ion mobility. Similarly, [Formula: see text] decreases as the electrolyte concentration increases due to enhanced back electron transfer reaction. An optimum power conversion efficiency of 4.3% was obtained in a DSSC with the TiO2 film thickness of 13.5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m and redox concentration of 0.03[Formula: see text]mol dm[Formula: see text] under AM 1.5G illumination at 100[Formula: see text]mW/cm2.

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Improving the Spectral Response of Black Dye by Cosensitization with a Simple Indoline Based Dye in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Journal of Chemistry ◽

10.1155/2013/910527 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Md. Akhtaruzzaman ◽

Ashraful Islam ◽

Mohammad Rezaul Karim ◽

A. K. Mahmud Hasan ◽

Liyuan Han

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Light Absorption ◽

Spectral Response ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Power Conversion ◽

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽

Wavelength Region ◽

Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ◽

Dye Sensitized ◽

Sensitized Solar Cells

Indoline dyeD-1was successfully applied as a cosensitizer for improving the spectral response of black dye in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). It was observed thatD-1effectively increases the short-circuit photocurrent by offsetting the competitive light absorption byI/I3-electrolyte in the wavelength region 350–500 nm when adsorbed on the TiO2nanocrystaline films in a mix dye system. The DSCs containing theD-1and black dye achieved a power conversion efficiency of 9.80% with higher short-circuit photocurrent of 19.54 mA/cm2compared to the system of black dye without cosensitization under standard AM 1.5 sunlight.

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Magnetron Sputtered Electron Blocking Layer as an Efficient Method to Improve Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Performance

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13112690 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 2690

Author(s):

Dariusz Augustowski ◽

Paweł Kwaśnicki ◽

Justyna Dziedzic ◽

Jakub Rysz

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ◽

Blocking Layer ◽

Electron Blocking Layer ◽

Solar Cell Performance ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Dye Sensitized

The main efficiency loss is caused by an intensive recombination process at the interface of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrons from the photoanode can be injected back to the redox electrolyte and, thus, can reduce the short circuit current. To avoid this, the effect of the electron blocking layer (EBL) was studied. An additional thin film of magnetron sputtered TiO2 was deposited directly onto the FTO glass. The obtained EBL was characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical profilometry, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometry. The results of the current–voltage characteristics showed that both the short circuit current (Isc) and fill factor (FF) increased. Compared to traditional dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) architecture, the power conversion efficiency (η) increased from 4.67% to 6.07% for samples with a 7 × 7 mm2 active area and from 2.62% to 3.06% for those with an area of 7 × 80 mm2.

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Optimization of Aluminium Doping Concentration in Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Photo Anode for Enhancing Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

International Journal of Nanoscience ◽

10.1142/s0219581x2050009x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (06) ◽

pp. 2050009

Author(s):

Swati S. Kulkarni ◽

Gajanan A. Bodkhe ◽

Pasha W. Sayyad ◽

Megha A. Deshmukh ◽

S. S. Hussaini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Titanium Dioxide ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Doping Concentration ◽

Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Photovoltaic Performance ◽

Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ◽

Eosin Y ◽

Good Efficiency ◽

Dye Sensitized

Well crystallized Aluminium (Al) doped Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles with various doping concentration (0, 0.05[Formula: see text]M, 0.07[Formula: see text]M, 0.09[Formula: see text]M and 0.11[Formula: see text]M) were synthesized successfully by sol–gel route to develop the photo anode of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC). Anatase crystalline nature of TiO2 nanoparticles was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrophotometer. The Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate the morphology of the photo anode (Al-doped TiO2 nanoparticles). The photovoltaic performance of the DSSC in terms of Current, Voltage and efficiency was investigated with a standard illumination of AM1.5G having an irradiance 100[Formula: see text]mW/cm2. Optimized values of Short Circuit Current density ([Formula: see text]), Open Circuit Voltage ([Formula: see text]) and efficiency ([Formula: see text]) obtained was 247.62[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]A/cm2, 359[Formula: see text]mV and 0.02456%, respectively for 0.07[Formula: see text]M Al doping concentration. Eco-friendly Eosin Y dye was used for sensitization of the photo anode. The optimized photovoltaic cell exhibits very good efficiency (80.05% more than the earlier reported work).

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