The Fabrication of Natural Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (Dssc) based on TiO2 Using Henna And Beetroot Dye Extracts

Abstract

In this work, a general approach for the preparation of natural dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and its efficiency is calculated. DSSCs are a promising class of photovoltaic cells with the capability of generating green energy at low production cost since no vacuum systems or expensive equipment are required in their fabrication. The TiO2 Nano powder were successfully synthesized by sol-gel method and using Titanium butaoxide (TBT) as a precursor. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were constructed by using the Henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaves and Beetroot as natural sensitizers of anatase-based nanostructure TiO2 thin film Paint-coated on FTO conducting glass. The orange-red Lawsone, dark red color Beetroot are the main components in the natural dyes obtained from these natural products. A blend of KI, acetonitrile and iodine was used as a solid state thin film electrolyte. Structural and optical properties of the semiconductor thin films were characterized by X-ray diffractometer and UV-VIS spectrophotometer respectively. The XRD result exhibit the structure of anatase phase of TiO2 and UV exhibit TiO2 which was in conformity with its wide band gap nature. And then TiO2 was subjected or treated to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimrtric/Differential Thermal Analysis (TG/DTA), and Efficiency of DSSC was calculated. In this paper two natural dyes are selected and based on this, DSSC are fabricated and the efficiencies were measured. The efficiency of the DSSC with beetroot dye is 1.3% and that of henna dye is 1.08% .