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FABRICATION OF DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELL USING PIGMENTS FROM NATURAL DYE (CHROLOMENA ODORATA)

 

ABSTRACT

Looking for the green sources of energy have been the subject for research activities for last decade. For years studies have been using various kinds of energy sources to fulfill energy requirement. In order to reduce further accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs), green generator or converter of energy has been designed to replace the conventional (fossil) energy sources. A new technology had been developed that is known as Natural Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (NDSSC) which consists of a group of photovoltaic cells that produces green energy at low cost of sensitization material production since no vacuum systems or low cost equipment are used in fabrication process. This paper reviews the structure and working principles of dye sensitized solar cell DSCC. Discussing preparation procedures of the types of natural dyes using “chrolomena odorata”. Dye sensitized solar cell with dimension 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm is fabricated by using screen printing method with thickness 10μ m of titanium dioxide (TiO2) by putting it on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. Then, the solar cell is tested under sunlight. Dye extracted from raspberry with TiO2 viscosity 1.0 g is the most desired natural dye within the selected range of natural dye, with a value of Isc (0.0367 mA ), Voc (474mV)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE
DEDICATION
ACKNOWELDGEMENT
ABSTRCT
TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

    • INTRODUCTION
    • AIM/OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
    • PROJECT BACKGROUND
    • STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
    • SCOPE OF PROJECT /LIMITATION
    • APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT
    • PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
    • PROJECT ORGANISATION

CHAPTER TWO               

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0      LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1      OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
2.2     MECHANISM OF WORKING OF DSSCS
2.3     LIMITATIONS OF DSSCS AND SOME IMPORTANT TECHNIQUE TO OVERCOME THEM
2.4     CRITERIA FOR DESIGNING SENSITIZERSFOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS
2.5     SENSITIZERS USED FOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS
2.6     OVERVIEW OF ORGANIC SENSITIZERS EMPLOYED FOR DSSCS
2.7     OVERVIEW OF CHROMOLAENA ODORATA

CHAPTER THREE

3.1      METHODOLOGY

3.2      FABRICATION STEPS

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1    RESULT AND DISCUSSION

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0      CONCLUSIONS AND REFERENCES

5.1 CONCLUSIONS
5.2 REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE
1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION
Solar cells have gone through a number of years and a number of phases. Their development can be described according to their construction principles (Hara & Arakawa, 2005). A solar cell is a photonic device that changes photons together with particular wavelengths to electricity (Torchani et al., 2015). Alexandre Edmond Becquerel, a French physicist discovered this photo electrochemical or also known as photovoltaic impact in 1839 while investigating and analyzing the effect of light on metal electrodes absorbed through electrolyte. Analysis in this area extended as well as technologies produces many different types and also structures of the materials presently used in photovoltaic (PV) technology. Most of photovoltaic industry uses wafer of single crystal and poly-crystal silicon as material for photovoltaic (PV) modules. However, the cost of these modules is high due to material and processing cost (Hara & Arakawa, 2005).

The first and the second generations of photovoltaic cells are generally mainly made of semiconductors which include crystalline silicon, III-V compounds, cadmium telluride, and copper indium selenide/sulfide (Zhao et al., 1999).However, solar energy produces a limited application that directly relates to its expensive cost to generate electricity per watt. At present, technology of solar cells determined by crystalline silicon is usually coping with a problem involving silicon-based raw materials (Jasim & Hassan, 2009). Consequently, low cost alternatives and new varieties of low cost solar cells is surely an urgent issue and have absolutely recently been the subject of the research work for the last three decade.
The name DSSC stands for “dye sensitized solar cell". A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is the latest technology of solar cells. It belongs to the group of thin film solar cell that has attracted considerable attention because of their low cost of production along with the environmental friendliness. Dye sensitized solar cell (DSCC) is a group in the third generation of solar cell that was found by O'Regan and Gratzel in 1991. The simple assemble of solar cell (also referred to as photovoltaic device) operates by renovating affordable photon from solar energy to electrical energy according to sensitization of wide bandgap semiconductor, dyes and also electrolyte (Jasim & Hassan, 2009) . The performance of dye absorption in DSSC is dependent on the sensitizer dye and wide bandgap material such as TiO2, ZnO and Nb2O5 (Tennakone et al., 1996). TiO2  is always chosen because its ability to the surface and to avoid the move of electron which take place under illumination solar photon.
One of the ways to determine the efficiency of solar cell depends on the performance of dye absorption spectrum that is coated on the surface of (Bisquert et al., 2004).
The most efficient sensitizer, ruthenium polypyridyl complex can be created from heavy transition metal coordination compound. This type of this sensitizer used widely because great charge - transfer (CT) absorption in the visible light spectrum and good absorption (Hau et al., 2006) .On the other hand, high cost of ruthenium and hard to prepare highlights the need to identify low-cost, efficient sensitizers. Natural dyes are well known for their high absorption coefficient, cheap and easy availability, non-toxic and renewable reservoir to materials for many applications. Narayan (2012) in her review stated that a number of natural dyes have been extracted as to facilitate dye-sensitized solar cells. Besides that, natural dyes compare to semiconductor solar cell are promising alternative sensitizers for DSSC because they are only available, easy to prepare, cheap and eco-friendly (Narayan, 2012).

1.2                                           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In today's society, it is becoming ever important to find alternative sources of energy that are both cheap and efficient. Solar cells have become one of the most widely-researched methods of obtaining energy in "greener" ways than burning fossil fuels, etc. One of the new variants on the solar cell that is currently being researched is the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC), which was invented by Michael Gratzel and Brian O'Regan in 1991. Where conventional systems take advantage of the semiconductor to absorb light and transport charge carriers, DSCs separate these two functions. A sensitizer, which is anchored to the surface of a wide band semiconductor, absorbs sunlight. When light is incident on the dye, electrons are injected from the dye into the conduction band of the solid, accounting for the charge separation. The electrons are then transported in the conduction band of the semiconductor to the charge collector. Using sensitizers with a broad absorption band along with nanocrystalline oxide films (most commonly titanium oxide) allows for the efficient capture of a large fraction of sunlight over a large spectral range (from the UV to the near IR range).

1.3                                               OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is to fabricate dye sensitized solar cell using pigments from natural dye of chrolomena odorata. Dye sensitized solar cell with dimension 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm is fabricated by using screen printing method with thickness 10μ m of titanium dioxide (TiO2) by putting it on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass.

1.4                                            ADVANTAGES OF THE STUDY
Given the efficiency and low cost of materials needed to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells, DSCs are an attractive replacement for existing technologies in "low-density" applications such as rooftop solar collectors, though the technology still has a way to go before it can be an attractive alternative for large-scale deployments as well. However, even a small increase in conversion efficiency for these new age solar cells could make them suitable for large-scale roles as well, as the efficiency of the cell would be worth the cost of utilizing more DSCs.
Another advantage DSCs have over traditional solar cells is the fact that direct injection of a photon into the nanocrystalline metal oxide layer evades the possibility of an electron recombining with a hole. This circumvents the problem of no current being generated when recombination occurs. Whereas a hole is generated when an electron is excited across the bandgap in traditional cells, no hole is generated in a DSC when an electron is injected. Instead, only an extra electron is added. While it is theoretically and energetically possible for an electron to recombine with the dye, the rate of this happening is negligible compared to the rate at which electrons are supplied by the electrolyte. [6] Due to these favorable kinetics, DSCs will also work in low light conditions (i.e. cloudy skies and indirect sunlight). So little light is needed, that it has been suggested that DSCs be used indoors - light could be absorbed from the various lights that are usually used to illuminate indoor rooms. [7]
Another advantage that DSCs offer, due in part to their mechanical robustness, is the fact that they have higher efficiencies at higher temperatures than traditional solar cells typically do. DSCs are able to radiate heat away much more efficiently than traditional silicon cells and operate at lower internal temperatures, since they are usually built with only a thin layer of conductive plastic on the front layer, versus the more insulating glass box that is typically used for silicon solar cells.

1.5                                   PROBLEM/LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Despite these myriad advantages, DSCs do have a disadvantage. The major disadvantage is that the liquid electrolyte used in DSCs is temperature-sensitive. At low temperatures, the electrolyte can freeze, thus rendering the solar cell completely unusable. At high temperatures, the liquid electrolyte expands, making sealing the solar panels a major problem. The use of a liquid electrolyte causes some serious additional problems such as potential potential instability, limitation of maximum operation temperature, danger of evaporation, and extra cost for forming an electrical series connection. [8]

1.6                                            APPLICATION OF THE STUDY
fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells  are used in the following places:

  • Automotive
  • Outdoor advertising /posters /awnings
  • POP smart labels, posters indoors
  • Mobile devices
  • Electronics in apparel and emergency and military
  • Other portable electronics,
  • disposable electronics Wireless sensors/actuators
  • Other large projects and utilities
1.7                                              EFFICIENCY OF THE STUDY

With conversion efficiencies of over 10% obtained, DSCs provide a technically and economically viable alternative to present day pn junction photovoltaic devices. [1] DSCs are made from low-cost materials and do not require any elaborate or complicated machinery to operate. Additionally, they can be engineered into flexible sheets and are quite durable, being able to withstand minor events such as hail. Conventionally used liquid-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) can have efficiencies as high as 11.1%, they often suffer from potential leakage and corrosion problems, sparking research in solid-state DSCs (ss-DSCs). [2,3] Although this conversion efficiency is less than the best of thin film cells, in theory its price-to-performance ratio (kWh/(m2-annum-dollar)) is high enough to make it an attractive alternative to fossil fuel electric generation. [4]
The dye used in dye-sensitized solar cells is extremely efficient at converting absorbed photons into free electrons in the titanium oxide layer. However, the current is limited to how many photons the dye can actually absorb—the photons that do get absorbed are the ones that ultimately produce the current. The rate at which the photons are absorbed depends on the overlap between the absorption spectrum of the titanium oxide layer (or other nanocrystalline oxide film used) and the solar flux spectrum. The maximum possible photocurrent is dependent on the overlap between these two spectra. Typically used dye molecules generally have poorer absorption in the red part of the spectrum compared to silicon, meaning that fewer of the photons in sunlight are available for current generation in comparison to silicon. Current dye-sensitized solar cells offer about 18 mA/cm2 of current. [5] The peak power production for current DSCs is ~11% when combined with a fill factor of 45%. [2]

1.8                                            FUTURE ADVANCES IN DSSC

DSSC is a new technology that was first commercialised by G24 in 2009. By comparison the mature first generation solar cells date back to 1958 where they were used in the first satellites. There are many future advantages of DSSC and opportunities yet to be realised in the production of GCell including: colouring, transparency and increases in power density.
REFERENCES
[1] M. Grätzel, “Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells,” J Photochem. Photobiol.C – Photochem. Rev. 4, 145 (2003).
[2] M. Grätzel, “The Advent of Mesoscopic Injection Solar Cells,” Prog. Photovoltaics 14, 429 (2006).
[3] H. J. Snaith and L. Schmidt-Mende, “Advances in Liquid-Electrolyte and Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells,” Adv. Materials 19, 3187 (2007).
[4] H. Tributsch, “Dye Sensitization Solar Cells: A Critical Assessment of the Learning Curve,” Coord. Chem. Rev. 248, 1511 (2004).
[5] F. Gao et al. “A New Heteroleptic Ruthenium Sensitizer Enhances the Absorptivity of Mesoporous Titania Film for a High Efficiency Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell,” Chem. Commun. (23):2635 (2008).
[6] M. Law et al., “Nanowire Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells,” Nature Materials 4, 455 (2005).
[7] B. O’Regan and M. Grätzel, “A Low-Cost, High-Efficiency Solar Cell Based on Dye-Sensitized Colloidal TiO2 Films,” Nature 353, 737 (1991).
[8] A. Shah et al., “Photovoltaic Technology: The Case for Thin-Film Solar Cells,” Science 285, 692 (1999).

 

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