American Journal of Physical Chemistry

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Nanostructured Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Different Counter Electrodes

Received: Mar. 18, 2020    Accepted: Apr. 08, 2020    Published: May 14, 2020
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Abstract

Dye sensitized solar cells are devices that convert visible light into electricity using a dye sensitizer. They are generally low-cost, easy to make and environmentally friendly. Research in this field have mainly been focused on enhancing the performance of the devices through the optimization of its components such as the dye sensitizer and cathode. In this study, the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated with different cathode materials were tested. The experiments were carried out with one synthetic dye (N719) and two natural dyes (Pomegranate and Blueberry fruit dyes). Different cathode materials tested included thermally platinized, graphite-coated, and soot-covered Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) electrodes. The surface morphology of the different cathode materials was examined using Field Emission Scanning Microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiencies of the devices were determined under full light illumination (100 mWcm-2, AM 1.5 Global), and the electrochemical impedance studies were carried out and compared. The efficiency of the solar cells fabricated with the graphite-based cathode electrode were determined to be higher compared to the other cathode materials used in the study. These impedance characterization results show that electron lifetimes and reaction resistances differ for the same dyes when used with different counter electrodes, providing varying photocurrent efficiencies.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11
Published in American Journal of Physical Chemistry ( Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2020 )
Page(s) 1-8
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Cathode, Carbon, Graphite, Counter Electrode, Platinic Acid, N719

References
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  • APA Style

    Fahim Karim, Ahmed Sikder, William Ghann, Kara Green, Birol Ozturk, et al. (2020). Nanostructured Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Different Counter Electrodes. American Journal of Physical Chemistry, 9(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11

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    ACS Style

    Fahim Karim; Ahmed Sikder; William Ghann; Kara Green; Birol Ozturk, et al. Nanostructured Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Different Counter Electrodes. Am. J. Phys. Chem. 2020, 9(1), 1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11

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    AMA Style

    Fahim Karim, Ahmed Sikder, William Ghann, Kara Green, Birol Ozturk, et al. Nanostructured Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Different Counter Electrodes. Am J Phys Chem. 2020;9(1):1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11,
      author = {Fahim Karim and Ahmed Sikder and William Ghann and Kara Green and Birol Ozturk and Meser M. Ali and Jamal Uddin},
      title = {Nanostructured Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Different Counter Electrodes},
      journal = {American Journal of Physical Chemistry},
      volume = {9},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-8},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajpc.20200901.11},
      abstract = {Dye sensitized solar cells are devices that convert visible light into electricity using a dye sensitizer. They are generally low-cost, easy to make and environmentally friendly. Research in this field have mainly been focused on enhancing the performance of the devices through the optimization of its components such as the dye sensitizer and cathode. In this study, the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated with different cathode materials were tested. The experiments were carried out with one synthetic dye (N719) and two natural dyes (Pomegranate and Blueberry fruit dyes). Different cathode materials tested included thermally platinized, graphite-coated, and soot-covered Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) electrodes. The surface morphology of the different cathode materials was examined using Field Emission Scanning Microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiencies of the devices were determined under full light illumination (100 mWcm-2, AM 1.5 Global), and the electrochemical impedance studies were carried out and compared. The efficiency of the solar cells fabricated with the graphite-based cathode electrode were determined to be higher compared to the other cathode materials used in the study. These impedance characterization results show that electron lifetimes and reaction resistances differ for the same dyes when used with different counter electrodes, providing varying photocurrent efficiencies.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    T1  - Nanostructured Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Different Counter Electrodes
    AU  - Fahim Karim
    AU  - Ahmed Sikder
    AU  - William Ghann
    AU  - Kara Green
    AU  - Birol Ozturk
    AU  - Meser M. Ali
    AU  - Jamal Uddin
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11
    T2  - American Journal of Physical Chemistry
    JF  - American Journal of Physical Chemistry
    JO  - American Journal of Physical Chemistry
    SP  - 1
    EP  - 8
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2327-2449
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpc.20200901.11
    AB  - Dye sensitized solar cells are devices that convert visible light into electricity using a dye sensitizer. They are generally low-cost, easy to make and environmentally friendly. Research in this field have mainly been focused on enhancing the performance of the devices through the optimization of its components such as the dye sensitizer and cathode. In this study, the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated with different cathode materials were tested. The experiments were carried out with one synthetic dye (N719) and two natural dyes (Pomegranate and Blueberry fruit dyes). Different cathode materials tested included thermally platinized, graphite-coated, and soot-covered Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) electrodes. The surface morphology of the different cathode materials was examined using Field Emission Scanning Microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiencies of the devices were determined under full light illumination (100 mWcm-2, AM 1.5 Global), and the electrochemical impedance studies were carried out and compared. The efficiency of the solar cells fabricated with the graphite-based cathode electrode were determined to be higher compared to the other cathode materials used in the study. These impedance characterization results show that electron lifetimes and reaction resistances differ for the same dyes when used with different counter electrodes, providing varying photocurrent efficiencies.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Center for Nanotechnology, Department of Natural Sciences, Coppin State University, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Center for Nanotechnology, Department of Natural Sciences, Coppin State University, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Center for Nanotechnology, Department of Natural Sciences, Coppin State University, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Morgan State University, Baltimore, USA

  • Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Morgan State University, Baltimore, USA

  • Department of Neurosurgery, Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA

  • Center for Nanotechnology, Department of Natural Sciences, Coppin State University, Baltimore, MD, USA

  • Section