Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 4 (2017): 928 - 940

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2104-20

 

 

 

PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELL USING GRAPHENE OXIDE DOPED TITANIUM DIOXIDE PHOTOELECTRODE

 

(Peningkatan Prestasi Bagi Sel Suria Pemeka Warna Menggunakan Grafin Oksida di dalam Titanium Dioksida Sebagai Fotoelektrod)

 

Ahmad Muslihin Ramli, Mohd Zikri Razali, Norasikin Ahmad Ludin*

 

Solar Energy Research Institute,

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: sheekeen@ukm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 28 November 2016; Accepted: 27 April 2017

 

 

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSCs) is one of the photovoltaic cells that have attracted extensive research over decade. In this study, different weight percentage (wt.%) of graphene oxide (GO) was used with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as photoelectrode in DSSCs. GO was synthesized by simplified Hummer’s method at ambient temperature. The amount of GO in composite film are designed from 0.0 wt.%, 0.4 wt.%, 0.6 wt. % and 0.8 wt.%. The prepared samples were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Incident Photon to Current Efficiency (IPCE). The photocurrent-voltage characteristics of the fabricated dye sensitized solar cells were examined using a solar simulator under 100 mW/cm² AM 1.5 xenon illumination. The results indicated that optimum the power conversion efficiency (PCE) was obtained for the device doped with 0.6 wt.% GO with the short circuit current density (J_sc), open circuit voltage (V_oc) and PCE of 9.8 mA/cm², 0.7 V and 3.7 %, respectively. It was observed that the introduction of 0.6 wt.% GO into TiO₂ photoelectrode has successfully increased the performance of DSSCs as much as 28% compared to the sample without GO. This is due to the increment in dye absorption and enhanced electron transportation as proven by IPCE analysis.

 

Keywords:  dye sensitized solar cells, graphene oxide, photoelectrode, power conversion efficiency, titanium dioxide

 

Abstrak

Sel suria pemeka warna (DSSCs) adalah salah satu sel fotovolta yang telah menarik minat penyelidik sejak kebelakangan ini. Dalam kajian ini, peratusan berat grafin oksida (GO) yang berbeza telah digunakan bersama titanium dioksida (TiO₂) sebagai fotoelektrod di dalam DSSCs. GO telah disintesis dengan kaedah Hummer dipermudah pada suhu persekitaran. Jumlah GO dalam filem komposit telah ditetapkan dari 0.0 wt.%, 0.4 wt.%. 0.6 wt.% dan 0.8 wt.%. Sampel-sampel yang disediakan telah dicirikan dengan menggunakan analilsis Mikroskopi Imbasan Pancaran Medan Elektron (FESEM), Analisis Pembelauan sinar-X (XRD), Analisis Mikroskopi Daya Atom (AFM) dan  analisis kejadian foton kepada keberkesanan pembawa arus (IPCE). Ciri – ciri fotoarus-voltan bagi sel suria pemeka warna telah diperiksa menggunakan simulator suria dengan intensiti dikawal pada 100 mW/cm² AM 1.5 pengcahayaan. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa kecekapan penukaran kuasa (PCE) yang optimum telah dicatatkan oleh peranti DSSC yang ditambah 0.6 wt.% GO, dengan ketumpatan arus litar-pintas (J_sc), voltan litar-terbuka (V_oc) dan PCE masing-masing adalah 9.8 mA/cm², 0.7 V dan 3.7 %. Ini jelas menunjukkan bahawa penambahan 0.6 wt.% GO ke dalam TiO₂ fotoelektrod telah meningkatkan kecekapan prestasi bagi DSSCs sebanyak 28% berbanding dengan sampel tanpa GO. Peningkatan ini disebabkan oleh peningkatan penyerapan pewarna dan pengangkutan elektron seperti yang dibuktikan dalam analisis IPCE.

 

Kata kunci:  sel suria pemeka warna, grafin oksida, fotoelektrod, kecekapan penukaran kuasa, titanium dioxide

 

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