Augmentation of electron transfer by Ag incapacitated graphene oxide/dye (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) in photoanode of dye sensitized solar cell

Graphene oxide has been synthesized and silver (Ag) nanoparticles is used to decorate graphene oxide. Natural dye is extracted from the Caesalpinia pulcherrima flowers and TiO2 coated FTO substrate has been immersed in the dye solution for impregnation which will act as sensitizer for photons. Ag decorated Graphene Oxide (GO) with natural dye impregnated TiO2 coated FTO is used as photoanode of solar cell. The role of phytochemical constituents of the dye extracted from Caesalpinia pulcherrima and Ag decorated GO on the performance of dye sensitized solar cell has been analyzed in terms of electron transfer and diffusive process of conduction electrons between the photoanode and counter electrode. The redox couple of I-/I-3(-) and graphene coated FTO substrate has been used as electrolyte and counter electrode. Better performance of the proposed solar cell is confirmed with the comparison of the solar cell without the decoration of Graphene oxide by Ag nanoparticles. Solar cell with Ag/GO and GO alone has given efficiency of 1.43185% and 0.2763% respectively.

Automated summary

Graphene oxide was synthesized and decorated with silver (Ag) nanoparticles. Natural dye was extracted from the Caesalpinia pulcherrima flowers and impregnated into TiO2 coated FTO substrate to act as a sensitizer. The Ag decorated Graphene Oxide (GO) with natural dye impregnated TiO2 coated FTO was used as the photoanode of a solar cell. The performance of the dye sensitized solar cell was analyzed in terms of electron transfer and diffusive process, using the redox couple of I-/I-3(-) and graphene coated FTO substrate as electrolyte and counter electrode. The solar cell with Ag/GO demonstrated a higher efficiency of 1.43185% compared to that of GO alone with an efficiency of 0.2763%.