Hybrid TiO2-multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) photoanodes for efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

Umer Mehmood; Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein; Khalil Harrabi; M. B. Mekki; Shakeel Ahmed; Nouar Tabet

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.004

Hybrid TiO₂-multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) photoanodes for efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

Umer Mehmood
, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein^*
, Khalil Harrabi
, M. B. Mekki
, Shakeel Ahmed
, Nouar Tabet

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

91 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on TiO₂/MWCNTs composite with varying concentrations of CNTs (0, 0.03. 0.06, 0.09, 0.15, and 0.21 wt%), fabricated using N3 dye as a sensitizer. Transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in TiO₂. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent-voltage characteristics, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements were conducted to characterize the DSSCs. The results show that the photo conversion efficiency is highly dependent on the concentration of CNTs in the photoanode. A solar cell based on a photoanode containing 0.03 wt% MWCNTs has a power conversion efficiency which is about 30% greater than that of the unmodified photoanode. A quantum modeling technique based on the density functional theory was used to investigate the thermodynamic aspects of the charge transport processes in DSSCs. Simulation results support the experimental data.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	174-179
Number of pages	6
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	140
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.004
State	Published - 1 Sep 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

DSSC
Density functional theory
Hybrid photoanodes
MWCNT

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Surfaces, Coatings and Films

Access to Document

10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.004

Cite this

@article{f3ae2dcc99d34bd29a9ea82f2b35fca0,

title = "Hybrid TiO2-multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) photoanodes for efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)",

abstract = "Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on TiO2/MWCNTs composite with varying concentrations of CNTs (0, 0.03. 0.06, 0.09, 0.15, and 0.21 wt\%), fabricated using N3 dye as a sensitizer. Transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in TiO2. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent-voltage characteristics, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements were conducted to characterize the DSSCs. The results show that the photo conversion efficiency is highly dependent on the concentration of CNTs in the photoanode. A solar cell based on a photoanode containing 0.03 wt\% MWCNTs has a power conversion efficiency which is about 30\% greater than that of the unmodified photoanode. A quantum modeling technique based on the density functional theory was used to investigate the thermodynamic aspects of the charge transport processes in DSSCs. Simulation results support the experimental data.",

keywords = "DSSC, Density functional theory, Hybrid photoanodes, MWCNT",

author = "Umer Mehmood and Hussein, \{Ibnelwaleed A.\} and Khalil Harrabi and Mekki, \{M. B.\} and Shakeel Ahmed and Nouar Tabet",

year = "2015",

month = sep,

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doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.004",

language = "English",

volume = "140",

pages = "174--179",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hybrid TiO2-multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) photoanodes for efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

AU - Mehmood, Umer

AU - Hussein, Ibnelwaleed A.

AU - Harrabi, Khalil

AU - Mekki, M. B.

AU - Ahmed, Shakeel

AU - Tabet, Nouar

PY - 2015/9/1

Y1 - 2015/9/1

N2 - Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on TiO2/MWCNTs composite with varying concentrations of CNTs (0, 0.03. 0.06, 0.09, 0.15, and 0.21 wt%), fabricated using N3 dye as a sensitizer. Transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in TiO2. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent-voltage characteristics, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements were conducted to characterize the DSSCs. The results show that the photo conversion efficiency is highly dependent on the concentration of CNTs in the photoanode. A solar cell based on a photoanode containing 0.03 wt% MWCNTs has a power conversion efficiency which is about 30% greater than that of the unmodified photoanode. A quantum modeling technique based on the density functional theory was used to investigate the thermodynamic aspects of the charge transport processes in DSSCs. Simulation results support the experimental data.

AB - Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on TiO2/MWCNTs composite with varying concentrations of CNTs (0, 0.03. 0.06, 0.09, 0.15, and 0.21 wt%), fabricated using N3 dye as a sensitizer. Transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in TiO2. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent-voltage characteristics, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements were conducted to characterize the DSSCs. The results show that the photo conversion efficiency is highly dependent on the concentration of CNTs in the photoanode. A solar cell based on a photoanode containing 0.03 wt% MWCNTs has a power conversion efficiency which is about 30% greater than that of the unmodified photoanode. A quantum modeling technique based on the density functional theory was used to investigate the thermodynamic aspects of the charge transport processes in DSSCs. Simulation results support the experimental data.

KW - DSSC

KW - Density functional theory

KW - Hybrid photoanodes

KW - MWCNT

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U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.004

DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.004

M3 - Article

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SN - 0927-0248

VL - 140

SP - 174

EP - 179

JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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