Development of A Dye Sensitized Photovoltaic Device Based On Hybrid Nanomaterial Photoanode and Natural Plant Pigments

Abstract

Dye sensitised solar cells (DSC) remain popular as promising sustainable energy sources due to their ability to operate in diffused light, their wide application in build-ing integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and the emerging and#64257;eld of the internet of things. However, the synthetic dye sensitization process has always been a major setback as it comes with a high cost and toxic characteristics. As the performance of DSC is mainly a function of the chemical and physical properties of its photoanode and sensitizer, this research work aims to study the effect of the synthesis route on the characteristics of the photoanode and natural dye. newlineThe problem statement was deand#64257;ned as inferior efand#64257;ciency and performance of DSC due to the demerits of synthetic dyes, the demerits of TiO2 and ZnO as a single photoanode, the poor stability of natural dyes and their absorption range, and high cost. Experimental work included (i) synthesis and characterization of photoanodes, study-ing the effects of synthesis routes and surfactants; (ii) synthesis and characterization of natural dye sensitizers, including study of the effects of various solvents; (iii) photoan-ode and#64257;lm deposition, studying the effects of various solvents and heat treatment options; (iv) a DSC prototype consisting of novel photoanodes and natural sensitizers. newlineThe photoanode and#64257;lm made of nanocomposite TiO2 and ZnO sensitised using pigments from Phyllanthus reticulatas and beetroot was studied. The DSC efand#64257;ciency reported in this study is approximately 1.9% is the non-toxic greener solution for the economic sustainable energy. newline newline