Incorporation of Ag decorated rGO ON TiO2/dye photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Abstract

A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been fabricated with a photoanode made with silver-decorated reduced graphene oxide over the layer of TiO₂ nanoparticle coated over the FTO substrate using the Doctor Blade method. Due to the excellent electrical conductivity of silver decorated reduced graphene oxide and high adsorption of dye molecules, the cell parameters are enhanced. Three different concentrations of Ag decorated rGO (0.1% wt, 0.2% wt, and 0.3% wt) have been considered for this study and are compared with pure TiO₂-based DSSC. It is confirmed that the 0.1% wt concentration of TiO₂-Ag decorated rGO has shown better performance than the other concentrations as well as the pure TiO₂ photoanode. Natural dyes having chlorophyll pigment have been used as sensitizers, and graphene-based counter electrodes are incorporated in all solar cells. DSSC of 0.1% wt concentration of TiO₂-Ag decorated rGO has given short circuit current density, open circuit voltage, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency of 3.768 mA/cm², 0.6518 V, 0.566, and 1.39%, respectively. The higher the concentration of Ag decorated rGO with TiO₂, the lower the electron injection into the semiconductor oxide with increased band gap energy.

In this experiment, we found that 0.1% wt concentration of TiO₂-Ag decorated rGO has given a short power conversion efficiency of 1.39%, respectively.