STM Journals Peer-reviewed research from Consortium e-Learning Network

Journal of Nanoscience, NanoEngineering & Applications

A Study of Nature Based Dye with Different Extracting Solvents as a Sensitizer for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

  1. P. Soni
  2. V.V. S. Murty
  3. K. K. Kushwaha
  4. A. Gupta

Abstract

In this paper, natural dye extracts were used as a sensitizer for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC). The natural dye was extracted from Lantana camara leaf, flower and Clitoria ternatea flower using ethanol and acidified ethanol (in 1% HCl) as extracting solvent. The DSSCs have been fabricated using pure TiO2 and Ni doped TiO2 layers as photoanodes deposited by Doctor Blade method on fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) glass substrate and Pt counter electrode. An iodide-triiodide based redox electrolyte was sandwiched between photoanode and counter electrode. The UV-Vis absorption spectrum of natural dyes shows the absorption in the visible region (475 and 525 nm). The J-V characteristics of all fabricated cells have been analyzed. Greatest photoelectric conversion efficiency (ɳ) was found 1.91% for 0.05 mole% Ni doped TiO2 photoanode with dye extracted with acidified ethanol solvent.Keywords: Natural dye, Sensitizer, Doctor Blade method, DSSC, photoelectric conversion efficiency
Support