@article { ISI:000334476100013, title = {Comparative study on the dye sensitized solar cell performance of solution processed ZnO}, journal = {Solar Energy}, volume = {102}, year = {2014}, month = {APR}, pages = {143-151}, publisher = {PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD}, type = {Article}, address = {THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

We have monitored the performance of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) using solution processed ZnO having different shapes and aspect ratios. The aspect ratio and surface area of the ZnO structures have been regulated by carefully controlling the precursor concentration and reaction conditions. The shape of the synthesized structures has been varied from larger rods to smaller rods to hexagonal prisms. The synthesized hexagonal prism shaped ZnO with an aspect ratio of around one exhibited the highest surface area of 42 m(2)/g. The ZnO rods with higher aspect ratios of 5 and 16 exhibited lower surface areas of 22 and 2 m(2)/g, respectively. The dye sensitized solar cells constructed using the as-prepared ZnO structures and N719 dye molecules, exhibited efficiencies that varied as a function of surface area of the samples, with ZnO hexagonal prism exhibiting a maximum efficiency of around 1.38 +/- 0.01\%. The results indicated a direct correlation between the surface area of the ZnO structures and the energy conversion efficiency. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {DSSC, Photoanode, surface area, ZnO}, issn = {0038-092X}, doi = {10.1016/j.solener.2014.01.011}, author = {Jana, Arpita and Das, Partha Pratim and Agarkar, Shruti A. and Devi, P. Sujatha} } @article { ISI:000334898800032, title = {Electronically and catalytically functional carbon cloth as a permeable and flexible counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cell}, journal = {Electrochimica Acta}, volume = {123}, year = {2014}, month = {MAR}, pages = {248-253}, publisher = {PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD}, address = {THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

In this work we demonstrate that a conducting carbon cloth obtained by one-step pyrolysis of easily available cellulose fabric competes favorably with the commonly employed expensive platinum/FTO system as a counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In view of the low carbonization temperature (1000 degrees C) which forbids full graphitization, the nature of carbon in this case is represented by topologically randomly assembled nanoscale graphene units (turbostratic carbon). This morphology has high density of edge states and oxygen containing surface groups rendering multitude of catalytic sites for the reduction of I-3(-). Moreover the cloth is permeable to the dye and/or liquid electrolyte and its absorption properties also help retain the electrolyte. A fairly high efficiency of 5.8\% is achieved using such cloth as a counter electrode as against 7\% with the conventional Pt/FTO system. Moreover, the permeable property of the cloth eliminates a complete step of drilling hard TCO substrates for final dispensing of electrolyte into the device and the sealing process is also facile. In fact even the dye can be dispensed through the cloth. Finally, the flexibility of the carbon cloth can adapt easily to flexible/wearable DSSC designs. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {conducting carbon cloth, counter electrode, DSSC, without drilling}, issn = {0013-4686}, doi = {10.1016/j.electacta.2013.12.175}, author = {Tathavadekar, Mukta and Biswal, Mandakini and Agarkar, Shruti A. and Giribabu, Lingamallu and Ogale, Satishchandra} } @article { ISI:000363347800036, title = {Photochemical performance of ZnO nanostructures in dye sensitized solar cells}, journal = {Solid State Sciences}, volume = {48}, year = {2015}, month = {OCT}, pages = {237-243}, publisher = {ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV}, address = {PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS}, abstract = {

In this work, the photoconversion efficiencies of ZnO having diverse microstructures and structural defects have been investigated. A conversion efficiency of 138\% was achieved for the DSSCs fabricated with as prepared ZnO nanorods having minimum vacancy defects and a favourable one dimensional directional pathway for electron conduction. The DSSCs fabricated with ZnO nanoparticles exhibited relatively low conversion efficiency of 1.004\% probably due to multiple trapping/detrapping phenomena within the grain boundaries and ZnO flowers though exhibited a high dye adsorption capability exhibited the lowest conversion efficiency of 0.59\% due to a high concentration of structural defects. Based on the experimental evidences, we believe that the type of defects and their concentrations are more important than shape in controlling the overall performance of ZnO based DSSCs. (C) 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {DSSC, Efficiency, Emission, Structural defects, ZnO}, issn = {1293-2558}, doi = {10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2015.08.014}, author = {Das, Partha Pratim and Mukhopadhyay, Soumita and Agarkar, Shruti A. and Jana, Arpita and Devi, P. Sujatha} }