Effect of TiO₂ Photoanode Films on the Performance of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell with Rauvolfia Vomitoria Fruit Extract

J. K. Datte^1, , S. A. Yapi¹, L. K. Kouassi¹ and G. Y. T. Douhoré²

¹Laboratoire de Physique de la matière condensée et technologie (LPMCT), Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan-Cocody, Côte d’Ivoire

²Laboratoire de chimie organique et de substance naturelle (LCOSN), Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan-Cocody, Côte d’Ivoire

Cite this paper:
J. K. Datte, S. A. Yapi, L. K. Kouassi and G. Y. T. Douhoré. Effect of TiO₂ Photoanode Films on the Performance of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell with Rauvolfia Vomitoria Fruit Extract. American Journal of Materials Science and Engineering. 2021; 9(1):1-5. doi: 10.12691/ajmse-9-1-1

Abstract

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) were investigated using Rauvolfia vomitoria fruit extract as natural sensitized of TiO₂ thin film. The cells were evaluated for various thicknesses of photoanode. The optical properties were analysed with UV-Vis spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The morphology of the TiO₂ surface was observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Energy levels were estimated by cyclic voltammetry, in the presence of tetrabutalamonium tetrafluoroborate (TBATFB), in anhydrous acetonitrile solution (ACN). The results showed that the optimum thickness is 10 μm which achieved a short-circuit current density (J_sc) of 0.1 mA/cm² and an open voltage (V_oc) of 0.65 V while the conversion efficiency ) is 0.055%.

Keywords:
DSSC natural dye photoanode thickness energy conversion efficiency

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