The effect of Pt-counter electrode deposition methods on the efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) is a type of solar cell that uses dye to absorb the photon. The extracted purple sweet potato skin was used as anthocyanin dye which acted as a sensitizer in DSSC. This paper discusses how the influence of the platinum (Pt) counter electrode deposition methods on the performance of DSSC. Pt layer was deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates by using the drop and the brush methods. The brush method produced Pt layer almost twenty times in thickness compare to Pt layer which is produced by the drop method. When the Pt layer was applied in DSSC, its efficiency was 0.022% for the brush method while it was 0.008% for the drop method. It is considered that electrons are easier diffuse toward the electrolyte in the Pt layer of the brush method than those of the drop method. This result was supported by the SEM images that the Pt layer of the brush method was flatter than those of the drop method. It is well known that electrons are easy to diffuse in the flat material.