Influence on the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell using Cd doped ZnO via solvothermal method

Abstract

In this report, the transition metal Cd doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by solvothermal irradiation method was used to fabricate ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells as photo sensitizers of Terminalia catappa fruit using ethanol as solvent. These prepared metal oxide semiconductor nanoparticles were studied by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, FTIR, UV–Visible, XPS and DC electrical conductivity. Electrochemical parameters of open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and fill factor were calculated using J-V characterization. The effect of Cd doping on the efficiency of ZnO-based DSSC is investigated, which results in enhanced DSSC light harvesting efficiency calculated. This obtained result confirms that the doping of ZnO nanoparticles is a valuable material for increasing the corresponding efficiency of a solar cell application.