PREPARATION OF HEDGEHOG-LIKE SHAPED ZNO NANOROD FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE OF DSSC BASED ON ZNO ELECTRODE

• Main Author: Yuliasari, Fitri
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/55169
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is a promising alternative to conventional silicon solar cells has grown considerably to their affordable cost, simple fabrication process, and their environmental compatibility. The basic DSSC structure is composed of three principal parts: dye adhered to semiconductors nanocrystalline photoanode, an electrolyte solution with a redox mediator, and Pt counter electrode. This research aims to study the characteristics of ZnO nanorod (ZnONR) as DSSC photoanode. Preparation begins with making the blocking layer (BL) and seed layer (SL) on FTO substrate by spincoating technique. ZnO-NR was grown by using hydrothermal method 3x2 hours at 90°C inside the oven, followed by heating process at 500°C for crystallization process. ZnO-NR then used as photoanode in DSSC, and the DSSC is following this structure FTO/BL/ZnONR/ D358-dye/mosalyte/Platinum/FTO. Characteristics of ZnO-NR was measured by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). DSSC measured by measuring the current-voltage (I-V) were carried out under the dark and the illuminated condition using LED lights with power intensity of 100 mW/cm2 and to study the recombination process inside the cell was measured by Intensity Modulated Photovoltage Spectroscopy (IMVS). SEM images indicate that ZnO-NR with adding Zinc Nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) in the seed layer produced hedgehog-like shape ZnO-NR. XRD characterization results show that ZnO-NR have a good crystallinity and all diffraction spectrum show the characteristic planes of ZnO and the structure of ZnO-NR is hexagonal wurtzite. The absorbance spectra from UV-Vis measurements show the high dye absorption for ZnO-NR with hedgehog-like shaped structure. The efficiency (?) was obtained 2.35% with a value of Voc 0.66 V, Jsc 7,05 mA/cm2, and the fill factor (FF) of 49,68%. IMVS characterization show that the recombination of the electron photogeneration process in the DSSC was minimized. This shows that the morphology of hedgehoglike ZnO-NR can be increased the surface area and it will provide the advantage to absorb more dye molecules and increase electron transport leading to improved DSSC performance. Furthermore, introducing the blocking layer to DSSC structure can increase the cell stability.