Comparing efficiencies of dye-sensitized solar cells using ZrO۲ and TiO۲ nanoparticles

Due to the good stability and convenient optical properties, TiO۲ nanostructures are still the prominent photoanode materials in the Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSCs). However, the well-known low bandgap energy and weak adsorption affinity for the dye distinctly constrain the wide application. This work discusses the impact of ZrO۲ as a photoelectrode on efficiency, VOC and JSC of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells and it compares to these properties of DSCs that are made by TiO۲. Blackberry juice was used as dye in this work.In this work, zirconia nanoparticles was successfully used in a dye solar cell as a photoelectrode to enhance its efficiency. These nanoparticles were observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy .Their size was about ۲۰ nm. Also Blackberry juice was used as a dye in this solar cell. The samples were characterized by using several techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The photoactivity of the samples was tested under irradiation with simulated solar light by solar simulator model SIM-۱۰۲۰. As a result, efficiency of dyed solar cells that were made by ZrO۲ nanoparticles are ۷times greater than that of TiO۲ nanoparticles by ۲.۲ and ۰.۳ respectively. Similarly VOC (open current voltage) of solar cells using ZrO۲ is approximately ۵ times greater than VOC of solar cells using TiO۲ by ۰.۲۴v and ۰.۰۵v respectively. Also JSC of dye sensitized solar cell by ZrO۲ is reported ۰.۰۳۷ mA/cm۲ however this amount for TiO۲ is ۰.۰۲۴ mA/ cm۲.

Keywords:

Dye sensitized solar cell , nanoparticles , ZrO۲ , TiO۲ , Blackberry