Performance Enhancement of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Using …
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2.2 Synthesis of Dielectric Nanomaterial (PLT15)
The preparation of 0.25 M lanthanum-doped lead titanate [Pb 0.85 La 0.15 TiO 3 (PLT15)]
precursor sol, the used materials were lead acetate tri-hydrate [Pb(CH 3 COO) 2 ,
3H 2 O] (99.99% Sigma-Aldrich), lanthanum nitrate hexahydrate (La(NO 3 ) 3 , 6H 2 O)
(99.999% Sigma-Aldrich), and titanium butoxide [Ti(OC 4 H 9 ) 4 ] (97% SigmaAldrich). Initially, lead acetate tri-hydrate and lanthanum nitrate in presence of
warm acetic acid codissolving were taken place through rigorous stirring. Another
three-neck flask was used that was containing of stoichiometric amount of titanium
butoxide that was dissolved in glacial acetic acid (in 1:2 molar ratio) for reducing the
moisture sensitivity of the alkoxide precursor. Finally, the prepared chelated sol was
added dropwise into the mixed solution of lead acetate tri-hydrate and lanthanum
nitrate under continuous stirring for 15–20 min for the preparation of PLT15 precursor
sol.
2.3 Extraction of Carotene
Carrot has been chosen as raw materials for the extraction of carotene. After grinding
the carrot bioparticles, these carrot materials were kept for drying in a hot air oven
at 70 °C until they turned completely dried. Further the dried samples underwent for
grinding to get fine powdered substance, which was preserved in culture tube. Then,
0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g dried samples were taken from the powder samples, and further
extraction process was carried out by dissolving them into benzene. Postdissolving
into the solvent, the solution was allowed for sonication in presence of a bath-type
sonicator for 45 min. Then the solution underwent for filtration using filter paper for
the separation of undesired suspended particles. Finally, the filtrates were preserved
into different culture tubes.
2.4 Fabrication of Solar Cell
Initially, the FTO glass substrate (15 /cm, Pilkington) underwent for cleaning
using detergent solution, water, and ethanol in an ultrasonic bath. Then the prepared
titanium nanoparticles were deposited by means of thin layer of titanium oxide
employing spin coating (model: spin NXG-P1, Apex Instruments make) at 3000 rpm
for 30 s. Then the coated glass substrate underwent for heating at 450 °C for 30 min for
removal of organic materials. After that the commercially available TiO 2 nanopaste
coupled with synthesized dielectric nanomaterial (PLT15) was spin-coated followed
by annealing. Then the glass substrate was allowed for dipping into the dye solutions
for overnight. After 1 day, the glass substrate was subjected to atmospheric heating.
417
2.2 Synthesis of Dielectric Nanomaterial (PLT15)
The preparation of 0.25 M lanthanum-doped lead titanate [Pb 0.85 La 0.15 TiO 3 (PLT15)]
precursor sol, the used materials were lead acetate tri-hydrate [Pb(CH 3 COO) 2 ,
3H 2 O] (99.99% Sigma-Aldrich), lanthanum nitrate hexahydrate (La(NO 3 ) 3 , 6H 2 O)
(99.999% Sigma-Aldrich), and titanium butoxide [Ti(OC 4 H 9 ) 4 ] (97% SigmaAldrich). Initially, lead acetate tri-hydrate and lanthanum nitrate in presence of
warm acetic acid codissolving were taken place through rigorous stirring. Another
three-neck flask was used that was containing of stoichiometric amount of titanium
butoxide that was dissolved in glacial acetic acid (in 1:2 molar ratio) for reducing the
moisture sensitivity of the alkoxide precursor. Finally, the prepared chelated sol was
added dropwise into the mixed solution of lead acetate tri-hydrate and lanthanum
nitrate under continuous stirring for 15–20 min for the preparation of PLT15 precursor
sol.
2.3 Extraction of Carotene
Carrot has been chosen as raw materials for the extraction of carotene. After grinding
the carrot bioparticles, these carrot materials were kept for drying in a hot air oven
at 70 °C until they turned completely dried. Further the dried samples underwent for
grinding to get fine powdered substance, which was preserved in culture tube. Then,
0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g dried samples were taken from the powder samples, and further
extraction process was carried out by dissolving them into benzene. Postdissolving
into the solvent, the solution was allowed for sonication in presence of a bath-type
sonicator for 45 min. Then the solution underwent for filtration using filter paper for
the separation of undesired suspended particles. Finally, the filtrates were preserved
into different culture tubes.
2.4 Fabrication of Solar Cell
Initially, the FTO glass substrate (15 /cm, Pilkington) underwent for cleaning
using detergent solution, water, and ethanol in an ultrasonic bath. Then the prepared
titanium nanoparticles were deposited by means of thin layer of titanium oxide
employing spin coating (model: spin NXG-P1, Apex Instruments make) at 3000 rpm
for 30 s. Then the coated glass substrate underwent for heating at 450 °C for 30 min for
removal of organic materials. After that the commercially available TiO 2 nanopaste
coupled with synthesized dielectric nanomaterial (PLT15) was spin-coated followed
by annealing. Then the glass substrate was allowed for dipping into the dye solutions
for overnight. After 1 day, the glass substrate was subjected to atmospheric heating.