Graphite Counter Electrode for Cost Effective Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs)

Abstract

Hydrothermally synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles were coated onto FTO glass plates and sensitized with Eosin Y (EY) dye. The graphite counter electrode (G) was fabricated by G coating onto the Al and then the cells were assembled by sandwiching the TiO2 photo anode (soaked in EY) and the counter electrode. The assembled FTO/TiO2+EY/Electrolyte/GCE solar cells were subjected to I-V characteristics under a light source of 100mW/cm2. I-V measurement was carried out for Pt CE, and for the G CE based DSSCs. The result cell with Pt CE shows high open circuit voltage (VOC ) 0.717V and fill factor (FF) 0.51, where the G CE based cell gives short circuit current (ISC ) 1.4 mA and photo conversion efficiency (η) 0.56%. Finally, the cell which is fabricated with G counter electrode shows better performance than the Pt CE based cell.