Publication

Abstract : Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) pops out to be the most prominent third-generation solar cell, challenging the conventional silicon-based solar cells in various aspects, such as semi-transparency, fabrication, and environmental friendliness. The power provided by the sun in one minute can meet the energy needs of the world for 1 year. In a day, it provides us more energy than that would be consumed by our current population in 27 years. Also, all the energy stored in the fossil fuels is equivalent to the energy received from the sun for three days. Even though solar energy is inexhaustible and 98free, trapping and utilizing it is a challenging task. DSSC also has a number of distinctive characteristics, such as simple to fabricate using the conventional techniques, semi-flexible and semi-transparent, and offers a wide variety of uses. DSSC consists of mesoporous TiO2 (anatase) photoanode, sensitized by dye molecules (organic/ inorganic), and a platinum (Pt) counter electrode (CE) sandwiched by liquid electrolyte. Photoanodes play two roles, one as the support for the sensitizer loading and the other as the transporter of photoexcited electrons to the external circuit from the sensitizer. The absorption of sunlight and conversion of solar energy into electrical energy is carried out by dye molecules. Electrolyte acts as a mediator to provide internal pathways for transporting electrons from cathode to anode. The function of CE is to collect electrons from external circuit and promotes the regeneration of I– from I3 – ions.