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Exploring Voltage Output Using a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Received: 5 January 2013     Published: 30 June 2013
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Abstract

A dye-sensitized solar cell consisting of two conducting glass electrodes in a sandwich arrangement was developed in the laboratory. Both electrodes were coated with tin dioxide after which the non conductive electrode was again coated with titanium dioxide. The titanium dioxide is designed to serve as an absorbent for the dye. The technology adopted in this paper is that the dye molecules absorb light, and produce excited electrons which in turn generate current in the output terminals of the cell. The dye regains its lost electron with the aid of the iodide electrolyte present in the cell. This work was done using the following light sources: fluorescent and overhead projector light. The voltages measured from each light source were separately documented. This paper shows that the solar cell exposed to the overhead projector light produced a voltage of between 1.3v and 1.5v while the voltage produced from the solar cell exposed to the fluorescent light was rather low. Cells made from raspberries, blackberries, spinach leaves, and grape fruit dyes were independently experimented on, and results showed that only cells made from the berries yielded reasonable quantity of electrons. This is because they have the right chemical composition and the energy band required to bond with the titanium dioxide which enables the release of electrons when light falls on them. The dye sensitized solar cell is very attractive because the materials needed are not only available but also cheap. In this laboratory work, efficiency evaluation yielded about 14.3% for the blackberry dye-sensitized solar cell.

Published in International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 2, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19
Page(s) 120-123
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2013. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, Titanium Dioxide, Voltage

References
[1] International Energy Agency (IEA), World Energy Outlook 2004, IEA, Paris: Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (2004).
[2] U.S. Department Of Energy (DOE) Biomass Program, Biomass Program Multiyear Multiple Plan, Washington, D.C. (2003). Available At Http://Devafdc.Nrel.Gov/Biogeneral/Program_Review/Mytp.Pdf.
[3] J. Goldenberg et al "Ethanol Learning Curve – The Brazilian Experience" Biomass and Bioenergy 26(3), 301-304 (2004).
[4] A. Bullion, "Ethanol Trends," International Sugar Journal, CVI (1263), 173-174, 177 (2004).
[5] N. Martini and J.S. Schell (Eds.) Plant Oils as Fuels – Present State of Science and Future Development. Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3-54-064754-6 (1998).
[6] W.P. Mulligan, D.H. Rose, M.J. Cudzinovic, D.M. De Ceuster, K.R.Mcintosh, D.D. Smith, and R.M. Swanson, In Proc. 19th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf., June 7-11, 2004 (To be published).
[7] Reijnders, L. "Design Issues for Improved Environmental Performance of Dye-sensitized and Organic Nanoparticulate Solar Cells," Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(2010): 307-312
[8] T. Trupke, M.A. Green and P. Wurfel, "Improving Solar Cell Efficiencies by Down-Conversion of High Energy Photons," J. Appl. Phys. 92, 1668 (2002a).
[9] S.M. Nie and S.R. Emery, "Probing Single Molecules and Single Nanoparticles by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering," Science 275, 1102 (1997).
[10] H. Wu, J.J. Ditmer, and A.P. Alivisatos "Hybrid Nanorod Polymer Solar Cells," Science 295, 2425 (2002).
[11] F.X. Redl, K.S. Cho, C.B. Murray, and S. O’brein, "Three-Dimensional Superlattices of Magnetic Nanocrystals and Semiconductor Quantum Dots," Nature 423, 968 (2003).
[12] B. O’regan and M. Gratzel, "A Low-Cost, High Efficiency Solar Cell Based on Dye –Sensitized Colloidal Tio2 Films" Nature 353,737 (1991).
[13] Institute for Chemical Education – Nanocrystalline Solar Cell Kit, University of Wiscousin – Madison. http://ice.chem.wisc.edu/ice.
[14] L. Fanis, "Nanocrystalline Solar Cell Kit Recreating Photosynthesis," ICE publication, pp52 (2010).
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    E. O. Osafile, O. D. Ojuh. (2013). Exploring Voltage Output Using a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 2(3), 120-123. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19

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    ACS Style

    E. O. Osafile; O. D. Ojuh. Exploring Voltage Output Using a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2013, 2(3), 120-123. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19

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    AMA Style

    E. O. Osafile, O. D. Ojuh. Exploring Voltage Output Using a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2013;2(3):120-123. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19,
      author = {E. O. Osafile and O. D. Ojuh},
      title = {Exploring Voltage Output Using a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell},
      journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
      volume = {2},
      number = {3},
      pages = {120-123},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20130203.19},
      abstract = {A dye-sensitized solar cell consisting of two conducting glass electrodes in a sandwich arrangement was developed in the laboratory. Both electrodes were coated with tin dioxide after which the non conductive electrode was again coated with titanium dioxide. The titanium dioxide is designed to serve as an absorbent for the dye. The technology adopted in this paper is that the dye molecules absorb light, and produce excited electrons which in turn generate current in the output terminals of the cell. The dye regains its lost electron with the aid of the iodide electrolyte present in the cell. This work was done using the following light sources: fluorescent and overhead projector light. The voltages measured from each light source were separately documented. This paper shows that the solar cell exposed to the overhead projector light produced a voltage of between 1.3v and 1.5v while the voltage produced from the solar cell exposed to the fluorescent light was rather low. Cells made from raspberries, blackberries, spinach leaves, and grape fruit dyes were independently experimented on, and results showed that only cells made from the berries yielded reasonable quantity of electrons. This is because they have the right chemical composition and the energy band required to bond with the titanium dioxide which enables the release of electrons when light falls on them. The dye sensitized solar cell is very attractive because the materials needed are not only available but also cheap. In this laboratory work, efficiency evaluation yielded about 14.3% for the blackberry dye-sensitized solar cell.},
     year = {2013}
    }
    

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    AU  - E. O. Osafile
    AU  - O. D. Ojuh
    Y1  - 2013/06/30
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19
    T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130203.19
    AB  - A dye-sensitized solar cell consisting of two conducting glass electrodes in a sandwich arrangement was developed in the laboratory. Both electrodes were coated with tin dioxide after which the non conductive electrode was again coated with titanium dioxide. The titanium dioxide is designed to serve as an absorbent for the dye. The technology adopted in this paper is that the dye molecules absorb light, and produce excited electrons which in turn generate current in the output terminals of the cell. The dye regains its lost electron with the aid of the iodide electrolyte present in the cell. This work was done using the following light sources: fluorescent and overhead projector light. The voltages measured from each light source were separately documented. This paper shows that the solar cell exposed to the overhead projector light produced a voltage of between 1.3v and 1.5v while the voltage produced from the solar cell exposed to the fluorescent light was rather low. Cells made from raspberries, blackberries, spinach leaves, and grape fruit dyes were independently experimented on, and results showed that only cells made from the berries yielded reasonable quantity of electrons. This is because they have the right chemical composition and the energy band required to bond with the titanium dioxide which enables the release of electrons when light falls on them. The dye sensitized solar cell is very attractive because the materials needed are not only available but also cheap. In this laboratory work, efficiency evaluation yielded about 14.3% for the blackberry dye-sensitized solar cell.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Physics, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria

  • Department of Basic Sciences, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Nigeria

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