{"title":"Carbon dots-Zno/TiO2 ternary nanocomposite as a proficient material to enhance the performance of natural DSSC","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.micrna.2024.207934","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A novel sustainable approach for enhancing the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) involves the utilization of a combination of ZnO and carbon dots (CDs) derived from Citrus medica fruit extract, along with microwave-synthesized TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles for the preparation of the photoanode. Natural dyes such as <em>Hibiscus rosa-sinensis</em> and <em>Allium Cepa</em> peel are employed as sensitizers to reduce production costs. This co-activation method has demonstrated a significant improvement in the output parameters of the devices. Notably, the photoanode co-activated with ZnO-CD composite (ZnO-CD/TiO<sub>2</sub>) exhibits the most favorable output parameters when combined with <em>Hibiscus rosa-sinensis</em> dye (open circuit voltage (Voc) = 0.80 V, short circuit current density (Jsc) = 6.62 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, fill factor (FF) = 64.20 %, photo conversion efficiency (PCE) = 3.40 %) and <em>Allium Cepa</em> peel dye (Voc = 0.81 V, Jsc = 6.79 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, FF = 65.70 %, PCE = 3.61 %). When paired with <em>Allium Cepa</em> dye, the CD modified photoanode (CD/TiO<sub>2</sub>) offers Voc = 0.73 V, Jsc = 6.64 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, FF = 61.27 % and PCE = 2.97 %. Similarly, when combined with <em>Hibiscus rosa-sinensis</em> dye, the output parameters of the CD/TiO<sub>2</sub> photoanode are Voc = 0.72 V, Jsc = 6.54 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, FF = 64.4 % and PCE = 3.03 %. In comparison to all tested devices, the unmodified photoanode (TiO<sub>2</sub>) displayed the lowest performance, with parameters such as Voc = 0.59 V, Jsc = 6.45 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, FF = 52.5 %, PCE = 2.10 % using <em>Allium Cepa</em> peel dye, and Voc = 0.66 V, Jsc = 6 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, FF = 51.60 %, PCE = 2.04 % using <em>Hibiscus rosa-sinensis</em> dye. Furthermore, the co-activation process has been shown to enhance the stability of the devices. While the unmodified photoanodes ceased to operate after eight days, the ZnO-CD composite co-activated photoanodes retained their initial efficiencies up to 61.50 % and 68.53 % with the <em>Allium Cepa</em> peel dye and <em>Hibiscus rosa-sinensis</em> dye, respectively. Therefore, this study underscores the potential of the synthesized composite material in enhancing the performance of natural DSSCs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100923,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nanostructures","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Micro and Nanostructures","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773012324001833","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PHYSICS, CONDENSED MATTER","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
A novel sustainable approach for enhancing the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) involves the utilization of a combination of ZnO and carbon dots (CDs) derived from Citrus medica fruit extract, along with microwave-synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles for the preparation of the photoanode. Natural dyes such as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Allium Cepa peel are employed as sensitizers to reduce production costs. This co-activation method has demonstrated a significant improvement in the output parameters of the devices. Notably, the photoanode co-activated with ZnO-CD composite (ZnO-CD/TiO2) exhibits the most favorable output parameters when combined with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis dye (open circuit voltage (Voc) = 0.80 V, short circuit current density (Jsc) = 6.62 mA/cm2, fill factor (FF) = 64.20 %, photo conversion efficiency (PCE) = 3.40 %) and Allium Cepa peel dye (Voc = 0.81 V, Jsc = 6.79 mA/cm2, FF = 65.70 %, PCE = 3.61 %). When paired with Allium Cepa dye, the CD modified photoanode (CD/TiO2) offers Voc = 0.73 V, Jsc = 6.64 mA/cm2, FF = 61.27 % and PCE = 2.97 %. Similarly, when combined with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis dye, the output parameters of the CD/TiO2 photoanode are Voc = 0.72 V, Jsc = 6.54 mA/cm2, FF = 64.4 % and PCE = 3.03 %. In comparison to all tested devices, the unmodified photoanode (TiO2) displayed the lowest performance, with parameters such as Voc = 0.59 V, Jsc = 6.45 mA/cm2, FF = 52.5 %, PCE = 2.10 % using Allium Cepa peel dye, and Voc = 0.66 V, Jsc = 6 mA/cm2, FF = 51.60 %, PCE = 2.04 % using Hibiscus rosa-sinensis dye. Furthermore, the co-activation process has been shown to enhance the stability of the devices. While the unmodified photoanodes ceased to operate after eight days, the ZnO-CD composite co-activated photoanodes retained their initial efficiencies up to 61.50 % and 68.53 % with the Allium Cepa peel dye and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis dye, respectively. Therefore, this study underscores the potential of the synthesized composite material in enhancing the performance of natural DSSCs.