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Effect of carbonization temperature on the electrocatalytic property and efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells derived from corncob and sugarcane leaf agricultural residues

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Abstract

Corncob residues (CC) and sugarcane leaves (SL) are globally abundant agricultural residues. Thus, they are interesting materials for use in energy production. They were turned into carbon powders by carbonization at temperatures of 500–1100 °C under an argon atmosphere. These carbon powders were merged with a conductive polymer and covered on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates with a doctor blade for use as counter electrodes (CEs) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Raman spectroscopy and SEM were utilized to study the chemical composition and surface configuration of the counter electrodes. The trend of electrical conductivity and electrochemical catalytic activity improves resulting from the elevated carbonization temperature. Corncobs carbonized at 1100 °C mixed in a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS, PP) (CC-PP 1100) sample provided the highest energy conversion efficiency, 5.85 ± 0.87%, against a platinum (Pt) CE (5.43 ± 0.48%) and exhibited the highest redox reaction. This is a result of the low resistivity and excellent catalytic activity of the CC-PP 1100 electrode. Moreover, this research provided the evidence of relationship between electrical conductivity and DSSC efficiency for the first time.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support for this research was provided by the Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) 2021. This research project was financially supported by the Mahasarakham University and Thammasat University, Thailand. The Post-doctoral Program from Research Affairs and the Graduate School, Khon Kaen University (Grant No. 60166), Khon Kaen University, Thailand, funded a scholarship supporting this study.

Funding

This work was supported by the Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) 2021, and The Post-doctoral Program from Research Affairs and the Graduate School, Khon Kaen University (Grant No. 60166), Khon Kaen University, Thailand, are hereby deeply regarded for financially supporting this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Kantharawichai , 44150, Mahasarakham, Thailand

    Nattakan Kanjana, Wasan Maiaugree, Paveena Laokul & Artit Chingsungnoen

  2. Division of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University, Bangkok , 12120, PathumThani, Thailand

    Wasan Maiaugree

  3. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Sujittra Daengsakul & Vittaya Amornkitbamrung

  4. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand

    Samuk Pimanpang

  5. Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Kantharawichai, 44150, Mahasarakham, Thailand

    Inthira Chaiya

  6. Institute of Nanomaterials Research and Innovation for Energy (IN-RIE), NANOTEC-KKU RNN On Nanomaterials Research and Innovation for Energy, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Sarawut Tontapha & Sujittra Daengsakul

  7. Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics, Commission on Higher Education, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand

    Vittaya Amornkitbamrung

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  1. Nattakan Kanjana
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  2. Wasan Maiaugree
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Contributions

Nattakan Kanjana and Wasan Maiaugree did all the experimental work, collected the data, designed the visualization, and drafted the initial paper. Paveena Laoku, Artit Chingsungnoen, Inthira Chaiya, and Sujittra Daengsakul designed the study and provided resources. Wasan Maiaugree, Sarawut Tontapha, Samuk Pimanpang, and Vittaya Amornkitbumrung supervised the study, provided resources, and supported in acquiring funding. All the authors read the manuscript prior to submission, contributed to the writing-review, and editing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wasan Maiaugree.

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Kanjana, N., Maiaugree, W., Tontapha, S. et al. Effect of carbonization temperature on the electrocatalytic property and efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells derived from corncob and sugarcane leaf agricultural residues. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 13, 8361–8371 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-021-02204-3

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