Optimization of TiO 2 –KMnO 4
Composites with Natural Dyes for Solar
Cell Application
Shyamal Datta and Subhasis Roy
Abstract Present study aimed to develop DSSC solar cell based on KMnO 4 –TiO 2
composite active layer. To prepare KMnO 4 –TiO 2 paste composite, the mixture of
KMnO 4 –TiO 2 powders was dispersed into a binder (benzyl alcohol). Uniform films
of KMnO 4 –TiO 2 composite were successfully prepared on the FTO glass substrate by
doctor blade method. Different weight percentages of 0, 2, 6, and 10 wt% of KMnO 4
in TiO 2 were prepared for thin-film deposition on FTO substrate. Then the extracted
natural dyes from Mirabilis Jalapa flower were successfully deposited on the coated
films that act as light-harvesting materials. Optical properties, surface morphology,
and crystal structure were investigated by UV–vis spectroscope, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). An electrolyte containing
iodide/triiodide (I
− /I 3
− ) was used to transport for redox mediator between two electrodes. This working electrode was assembled into a sandwich with graphite counter
electrode. The performance of these cells was tested under simulated AM 1.5G solar
illumination using 100 mW/cm
2 power. The highest optimized efficiency of 2.04%
was achieved for 10 wt% KMnO 4 in TiO 2 composite films, which conclude that
highest amount of MnO
4− consumed in TiO 2 matrix.
Keywords Thin film · Solar cell · Composite layer · Doping
1 Introduction
Solar energy is one of the clean and green energies that is abundant and easily can
be converted to electricity by a solar photovoltaic cell. The first-generation solar
cell was basically made with monocrystalline or polycrystalline of silicon wafer
(Moyez and Roy 2018). Then second-generation solar cells came with its thin-film
architecture and made with mainly amorphous silicon. A dye-sensitized solar cells
(DSSCs) are considered as the third-generation solar cell that first fabricated invented
S. Datta · S. Roy (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Calcutta, 92 A. P. C. Road, Kolkata 700009,
India
e-mail: srchemengg@caluniv.ac.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_39
397
Composites with Natural Dyes for Solar
Cell Application
Shyamal Datta and Subhasis Roy
Abstract Present study aimed to develop DSSC solar cell based on KMnO 4 –TiO 2
composite active layer. To prepare KMnO 4 –TiO 2 paste composite, the mixture of
KMnO 4 –TiO 2 powders was dispersed into a binder (benzyl alcohol). Uniform films
of KMnO 4 –TiO 2 composite were successfully prepared on the FTO glass substrate by
doctor blade method. Different weight percentages of 0, 2, 6, and 10 wt% of KMnO 4
in TiO 2 were prepared for thin-film deposition on FTO substrate. Then the extracted
natural dyes from Mirabilis Jalapa flower were successfully deposited on the coated
films that act as light-harvesting materials. Optical properties, surface morphology,
and crystal structure were investigated by UV–vis spectroscope, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). An electrolyte containing
iodide/triiodide (I
− /I 3
− ) was used to transport for redox mediator between two electrodes. This working electrode was assembled into a sandwich with graphite counter
electrode. The performance of these cells was tested under simulated AM 1.5G solar
illumination using 100 mW/cm
2 power. The highest optimized efficiency of 2.04%
was achieved for 10 wt% KMnO 4 in TiO 2 composite films, which conclude that
highest amount of MnO
4− consumed in TiO 2 matrix.
Keywords Thin film · Solar cell · Composite layer · Doping
1 Introduction
Solar energy is one of the clean and green energies that is abundant and easily can
be converted to electricity by a solar photovoltaic cell. The first-generation solar
cell was basically made with monocrystalline or polycrystalline of silicon wafer
(Moyez and Roy 2018). Then second-generation solar cells came with its thin-film
architecture and made with mainly amorphous silicon. A dye-sensitized solar cells
(DSSCs) are considered as the third-generation solar cell that first fabricated invented
S. Datta · S. Roy (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Calcutta, 92 A. P. C. Road, Kolkata 700009,
India
e-mail: srchemengg@caluniv.ac.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_39
397