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Enhancement of the open-circuit voltage of the dye-sensitized solar cells using a modified ruthenium dye

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Abstract

In this work, the open-circuit voltage (Voc) of the dye-sensitized solar cells has been enhanced using a modified ruthenium dye. Two modified ruthenium dyes with formulas: Ru(bpy)2(bqdi) (PF6)2 (Ru-D1) and Ru(bpy)2(dmbqdi) (PF6)2 (Ru-D2) were prepared with chemical route. The FT-IR, structure, thermal and optical properties of the synthesized dye were investigated using a range of analytical techniques: FT-IR spectrophotometer, XRD diffractometer, differential scanning calorimetry and UV–Vis. spectrophotometer. The structural properties measurements reveal the crystalline nature of Ru-D1 and amorphous nature of Ru-D2 dyes. The photovoltaic performance of the assembled dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on the modified ruthenium dye has been explored under 100 mW/cm2. The achieved open-circuit voltage (Voc) values are enhanced to 0.74 V and 0.70 V based on Ru-D1 and Ru-D2 dyes, respectively, as compared with unmodified one (0.6 V). 23% enhancement in Voc has been achieved for the assembled DSSC based on Ru-D1 dye as compared with that of unmodified one. The obtained power conversion efficiency are 1.46% and 1.13% for Ru-D1 and Ru-D2, respectively. The Voc decay measurements of the assembled DSSCs based on Ru-D1 and Ru-D2 have exhibited good stability and reproducibility. This novel result presents the modified ruthenium dye as an active candidate in DSCCs applications.

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Acknowledgements

The Authors thank Taif University for financial support. This study was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif University, KSA [Research Project number: 1–440 - 6136].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Abdulraheem S. A. Almalki & Mohamed E. Khalifa

  2. Department of Physics, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Ali Badawi, Ateyyah M. Al-Baradi, A. A. Atta & Saud A. Algarni

  3. Department of Science and Technology, University College - Ranyah, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Abdel Ghany F. Shoair

  4. Department of Physics, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, Cairo, 11757, Egypt

    A. A. Atta

  5. Department of Physics, University College of Turabah, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Ali Badawi

  6. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Sulaiman Y. M. Alfaifi

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  1. Abdulraheem S. A. Almalki
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  2. Abdel Ghany F. Shoair
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  3. Ali Badawi
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  8. Sulaiman Y. M. Alfaifi
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Correspondence to Abdulraheem S. A. Almalki or Ali Badawi.

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Almalki, A.S.A., Shoair, A.G.F., Badawi, A. et al. Enhancement of the open-circuit voltage of the dye-sensitized solar cells using a modified ruthenium dye. Appl. Phys. A 127, 171 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-021-04324-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-021-04324-z

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