Improving the efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells by TiO2-graphene nanocomposite photoanode

Umer Mehmood; Shakeel Ahmed; Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein; Khalil Harrabi

doi:10.1016/j.photonics.2015.08.003

Improving the efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells by TiO₂-graphene nanocomposite photoanode

Umer Mehmood, Shakeel Ahmed, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein^*, Khalil Harrabi

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nanocomposite photoanodes were prepared by addition of graphene (GR) micro-platelets to TiO₂ nanoparticulate paste. TiO₂/graphene based DSSCs were fabricated using Z907 photosensitizer. Transmission electron microscope was used to confirm the presence of graphene in composite films after heating at 450 °C for 30 min. 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 graphene in the photoanode. Under an optimal conditions, solar cell based on graphene/TiO₂ shows power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.03%, which is about 26% greater than the cell based on pristine TiO₂ electrode (3.20%). A density functional theory was used to compute the band gap of TiO₂ and graphene-TiO₂ nano clusters.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	34-42
Number of pages	9
Journal	Photonics and Nanostructures - Fundamentals and Applications
Volume	16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.photonics.2015.08.003
State	Published - 1 Aug 2015

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through the Science & Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project no. 11-ENE1635-04 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan. KFUPM is also acknowledged for supporting this research. The authors would like to acknowledge the Center of Research Excellence for Renewable Energy at KFUPM.

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

Keywords

Dye sensitized solar cell
Graphene
Nanocomposite photoanodes
Power conversion efficiency
Titania

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Condensed Matter Physics
Hardware and Architecture
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1016/j.photonics.2015.08.003

Cite this

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title = "Improving the efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells by TiO2-graphene nanocomposite photoanode",

abstract = "Nanocomposite photoanodes were prepared by addition of graphene (GR) micro-platelets to TiO2 nanoparticulate paste. TiO2/graphene based DSSCs were fabricated using Z907 photosensitizer. Transmission electron microscope was used to confirm the presence of graphene in composite films after heating at 450 °C for 30 min. 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 graphene in the photoanode. Under an optimal conditions, solar cell based on graphene/TiO2 shows power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.03%, which is about 26% greater than the cell based on pristine TiO2 electrode (3.20%). A density functional theory was used to compute the band gap of TiO2 and graphene-TiO2 nano clusters.",

keywords = "Dye sensitized solar cell, Graphene, Nanocomposite photoanodes, Power conversion efficiency, Titania",

author = "Umer Mehmood and Shakeel Ahmed and Hussein, {Ibnelwaleed A.} and Khalil Harrabi",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through the Science & Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project no. 11-ENE1635-04 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan. KFUPM is also acknowledged for supporting this research. The authors would like to acknowledge the Center of Research Excellence for Renewable Energy at KFUPM. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.",

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AU - Ahmed, Shakeel

AU - Hussein, Ibnelwaleed A.

AU - Harrabi, Khalil

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through the Science & Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project no. 11-ENE1635-04 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan. KFUPM is also acknowledged for supporting this research. The authors would like to acknowledge the Center of Research Excellence for Renewable Energy at KFUPM. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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N2 - Nanocomposite photoanodes were prepared by addition of graphene (GR) micro-platelets to TiO2 nanoparticulate paste. TiO2/graphene based DSSCs were fabricated using Z907 photosensitizer. Transmission electron microscope was used to confirm the presence of graphene in composite films after heating at 450 °C for 30 min. 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 graphene in the photoanode. Under an optimal conditions, solar cell based on graphene/TiO2 shows power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.03%, which is about 26% greater than the cell based on pristine TiO2 electrode (3.20%). A density functional theory was used to compute the band gap of TiO2 and graphene-TiO2 nano clusters.

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