Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell of Silicon Dioxide–Titanium Dioxide Photoanode With Polypyrrole/Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Low-Cost Counter Electrode

Abstract

To produce a better connection and greater electron transfer efficiency between the TiO₂ particles, as well as to eliminate agglomeration and increase the dispersion of TiO₂ powders, a silicon dioxide/titanium dioxide (SiO₂/TiO₂) nanocomposite has been used as a photoanode in this study. An attempt was made to construct dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) at a low cost with reasonable efficiency by replacing the highly costly platinum counter electrode with polypyrrole/sodium dodecyl sulfate (PPy + SDS) as Counter Electrode 1 (C1) and PPy/SDS/multiwalled carbon nanotube (PPy + SDS + MWCNT) as Counter Electrode 2 (C2), using Ru-based dyes Z907, pomegranate (Pom) dye, arugula (Aru) dye, and hibiscus dye as photosensitizers. The working electrode composite was deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass using a thermal chemical spraying approach, while the counter electrodes were produced using an electropolymerization method. The structural and optical characteristics are fully examined using several characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The photovoltaic properties of the constructed DSSCs were assessed under light irradiation (100 mW/cm²). When compared to the reference cell based on the Pt counter electrode, which has an efficiency of 8.4%, the measured current–voltage (I–V) curve shows that the efficiency of DSSC in the case of Z907 dye with C1 and C2 was 3.037% and 3.743%, respectively. This suggests that the low-cost prepared DSSCs have good efficiency. Natural dyes show an efficiency range of 1.317%–0.66%, which indicates a moderate level of sensitivity.