• M. T. Sarode
• Y. B. Khollam
• P. N. Shelke

Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) proposed by O’Regan and Grätzel has attracted considerable interest in research since 1991. In present work, solar cell characteristics of pomegranate fruit dye sensitized TiO2 photoanode is presented. The TiO2 powders were prepared by using titanium tetra-isoproxide (TTIP) as Ti precursor at temperatures of 300, 400 and 500 oC. As-prepared powders were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The effect of annealing temperature on structural and optical properties of TiO2 powders was studied. The pomegranate fruit dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) characteristics of TiO2 thick films deposited on FTO coated glass substrates by using Doctor’s Blade method were studied by using solar simulator and with polyiodide as an electrolyte. The characterization studies revealed that as-prepared TiO2 powders were nanocrystalline with anatase phase symmetry. The crystalline sizes of as-prepared TiO2 powders obtained at 300 and 500 oC were found to be 12 and 18 nm respectively. The optical band gap of as-prepared TiO2 powders obtained at 300 and 500 oC were found to be 3.34 and 3.22 eV respectively. The absorption coefficient of resultant was noted to be of the order of 104 cm-1. The morphological analysis of resultant powders using SEM revealed spherical TiO2 particles with sizes between 10 to 50 nm. The pomegranate fruit dye sensitized TiO2 photoanode showed the solar properties: short circuit current (Isc) = 0.412 mA, open circuit voltage (Voc) = 0.628 V, fill factor (FF) = 39.11 % and photo-conversion efficiency (ƞ) = 0.139 %.

Nanocrystalline, Anatase TiO2 film, TTIP, DSSC, Pomegranate fruit dye.

"Economical Fruit Dye Sensitized Nanocrystalline TiO2 Photoanode for Solar Cell Fabrication ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no.12-17, MAY-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRCM06005.pdf

"Economical Fruit Dye Sensitized Nanocrystalline TiO2 Photoanode for Solar Cell Fabrication ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no. pp12-17, MAY-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRCM06005.pdf