Abstract
Influence of grain size, electrode type and additives on dye sensitized solar cells efficiency
Author(s): AbdulKareem A.Al-Khafaji, Dheyaa B.Alwan, Falah H.Ali, Wesam A.A.TwejIn the present work; there are some parameters affected the dye sensitized solar cell efficiency such as: different grain size of TiO2nanopowder paste on two types of electrodes, glass and polymer, in addition to some additives added. The optimum thickness utilized for TiO2 paste is (15µm) on a conductive glass, (rigid electrode), which is coated with fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO). The best efficiency achieved with grain size (10nm) of TiO2 is (1.95%). While the thickness is (12µm) spread over a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, (flexible electrode), filmcoated with indiumtin oxide (ITO). The best efficiency achieved is (1.62%).Microwave heating operating at a frequency (2450MHz) and (1.15 Kw), were applied for drying the TiO2polymer electrodes pastewhereas, a furnace at (450 ºC) was utilized for glass electrode. Several additives were tested and, the best additive chosen which gives the best efficiency was Copper (II) nitrate. Three particle sizes of TiO2, (10nm, 38nmand 50nm) were considered and, the best efficiency achieved was with TiO2 (10nm).All the tests were done under illumination of (40mW/cm2)mercury lamp.
