Effect of Sensitization Temperature on the Performance of Amaranth Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Abstract

In this work, the amaranth dye sensitized-solar cell was fabricated and characterized. Mainly the effect of sensitization temperature on the performance parameters of solar cell was observed. It was investigated that the performance of DSSC varies with sensitization temperature. Here, nanocrystalline TiO2 films deposited on the fluorine doped tin-oxide (FTO) were sensitized using amaranth dye extracted from Amaranthus Gangeticus leaves at two different temperatures: 4°C and 25 °C. Carbon counter electrode and KI/I2 electrolyte were used to fabricate the DSSC. The performance of DSSC was tested under solar simulator AM 1.5 illumination. The maximum efficiency of 0.413% was obtained at 25 °C.