ENHANCEMENT OF DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY USING TiO2/NiO NANOCOMPOSITE THIN FILM

Abstract

In this study, TiO₂/NiO nanocomposite was prepared using dry mixing method. The cell were fabricated using TiO₂/NiO as a semiconductor layer deposited on transparent ITO conductive glass (Indium-doped tin oxide, InO₂: Sn) using spin coating technique. The working electrode was then immersed in the solution of N-719 (Ruthenium) dye at room temperature for 24 h. A thin film of platinum (Pt) deposited on the ITO-glass substrate was applied as the counter electrode. The structures, morphological and optical properties of the films, were examined using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and UV-VIS spectrometer respectively. The photovoltaic properties of DSSC were studied under an incident irradiation of 100 mW/cm². The energy conversion efficiency (η) of the DSSC with TiO₂ and TiO₂/NiO was 0.3% and 0.4 % respectively.