and Leaves Dye Extract for Use in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell with TiO Films

Abstract

Study on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with jathropha curcas and citrus aurantium leaf extracts as sensitizers is reported in this paper. DSSCs were assembled by using natural dyes extracted from jathropha curcas and citrus aurantium leaves as sensitizers and compared with that of ruthenium dye. TiO2 films were prepared on FTO glass using the sol-gel process, the chemical bath deposition method and the slot coating of P-25 Degussa TiO2 powder. The chemical, structural, morphology and optical properties of theTiO2 were investigated using energy Dispersive Spectrum EDS, X-ray diffraction XRD, UV-Visible-Infrared spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM. The slot coated TiO2 with jathropha leaf dye extract showed the highest overall efficiency of 1.26% with open circuit voltage of 350mv, short circuit current of 65.5 μA and a fill factor of 0.55.