Efficiency enhancement in solvent free dye-sensitized solar cells by incorporation of PbS quantum dots

Abstract

Inexpensive dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) show promise as a viable third-generation solar cell technology. Usually, Ru-based dye molecules are used in DSSCs. A particular dye molecule can only absorb the light photon from a particular wavelength range. The enhancement of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) performance can be achieved through cosensitization with additional dyes or quantum dots (QDs). Quantum dots, owing to their diminutive dimensions and quantum confinement phenomena, which are modifiable by altering their size and morphology, manifest distinct electronic and optical characteristics that are particularly pertinent to the optimization of DSSCs. In this study, TiO2 – based PbS/N719 dye co-sensitized quasi–solid solar cells have been fabricated and characterized. DSSCs comprised with dye and the PbS QDs showed an efficiency of 4.72% with a higher short-circuit current density of 2.30 mA cm-2 whereas the DSSC fabricated with only Ru N719 dye delivered 4.12% efficiency under the same light condition with 100 mW cm-2 . The solar cell sensitized solely with N719 dye demonstrates an efficiency of 4.12%. Around 14% enhancement in the efficiency of DSSCs has been achieved due to the incorporation of PbS QDs.