Eco-friendly synthesis of Nd³⁺-doped Eu₂O₃ nanoparticles for enhanced dye-sensitized solar cells utilizing oxalis Corniculata leaf extract

Abstract

An environmentally friendly synthesis of Nd³⁺-doped Eu₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) was developed using Oxalis Corniculata leaf (OCL) extract to enhance the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The as-synthesized NPs were annealed at 600 °C to improve their crystallinity. X-ray diffraction and field-emission scanning electron microscopy revealed high crystallinity and a sub-100 nm spherical morphology. Annealing reduced the NP size from ∼85 nm to ∼45 nm and decreased the bandgap from 4.97 eV to 4.62 eV, enhancing low-energy photon absorption. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed changes in the chemical bonding environment, with a higher presence of dangling bonds in the as-prepared NPs compared to the 600 °C-annealed NPs, likely due to the OCL extract. Photoluminescence spectra confirmed strong red emission peaks at 580 nm and 612 nm, with a slight reduction in the full width at half maximum of the electric dipole transition after annealing. Integrating these NPs into TiO₂ matrices in DSSCs improved power conversion efficiency to 8.58%, outperforming both as-prepared NPs (6.88%) and bare TiO₂ cells (5.05%). This green synthesis approach offers a sustainable pathway for slightly enhancing performance of photovoltaic devices, with additional potential for UV-shielding applications when incorporated into PVA films.