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Rose bengal-sensitized nanocrystalline ceria photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell application

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Abstract

For efficient charge injection and transportation, wide bandgap nanostructured metal oxide semiconductors with dye adsorption surface and higher electron mobility are essential properties for photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). TiO2-based DSSCs are well established and so far have demonstrated maximum power conversion efficiency when sensitized with ruthenium-based dyes. Quest for new materials and/or methods is continuous process in scientific investigation, for getting desired comparative results. The conduction band (CB) position of CeO2 photoanode lies below lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level (LUMO) of rose bengal (RB) dye. Due to this, faster electron transfer from LUMO level of RB dye to CB of CeO2 is facilitated. Recombination rate of electrons is less in CeO2 photoanode than that of TiO2 photoanode. Hence, the lifetime of electrons is more in CeO2 photoanode. Therefore, we have replaced TiO2 by ceria (CeO2) and expensive ruthenium-based dye by a low cost RB dye. In this study, we have synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the formation of CeO2 with particle size ∼7 nm by Scherrer formula. The bandgap of 2.93 eV is calculated using UV–visible absorption data. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show formation of porous structure of photoanode, which is useful for dye adsorption. The energy dispersive spectroscopy is in confirmation with XRD results, confirming the presence of Ce and O in the ratio of 1:2. UV–visible absorption under diffused reflectance spectra of dye-loaded photoanode confirms the successful dye loading. UV–visible transmission spectrum of CeO2 photoanode confirms the transparency of photoanode in visible region. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis confirms less recombination rate and more electron lifetime in RB-sensitized CeO2 than TiO2 photoanode. We found that CeO2 also showed with considerable difference between dark and light DSSCs performance, when loaded with RB dye. The working mechanism of solar cells with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/CeO2/RB dye/carbon-coated FTO is discussed. These solar cells show V OC ∼360 mV, J SC ∼0.25 mA cm−2 and fill factor ∼63% with efficiency of 0.23%. These results are better as compared to costly ruthenium dye-sensitized CeO2 photoanode.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Board of College and University Development (BCUD), Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, for financial support through the minor research project OSD/BCUD/360/36. SAS is thankful to the Principal, Dr R J Barnabas, B.P.H.E. Society’s Ahmednagar College, Ahmednagar, for kind support and constant motivation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411 007, India

    SUHAIL A A R SAYYED, NIYAMAT I BEEDRI, VISHAL S KADAM & HABIB M PATHAN

  2. Department of Physics, B.P.H.E. Society’s Ahmednagar College, Ahmednagar, 414001, India

    SUHAIL A A R SAYYED

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  1. SUHAIL A A R SAYYED
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  2. NIYAMAT I BEEDRI
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Correspondence to HABIB M PATHAN.

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A R SAYYED, S.A., BEEDRI, N.I., KADAM, V.S. et al. Rose bengal-sensitized nanocrystalline ceria photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell application. Bull Mater Sci 39, 1381–1387 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-016-1279-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-016-1279-7

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