Synthesis and Characterization of Dye - Sensitized Solar Cells based on (Gd, Yb)-doped ZnO Nanoparticles and Sensitized by Natural Dyes

Abstract

Understanding that sunlight is Earth's predominant source of energy, the development of sustainable solar power solutions is needed to address the challenges of energy consumption and production, as well as to mitigate the environmental impact of fossil fuel use. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are a promising alternative to conventional siliconbased solar cells due to their low cost, simple production, and environmentally friendly nature. By using natural dyes and non-toxic materials, DSSCs have the potential to reduce the environmental impact of solar cell production and increase the accessibility of renewable energy. In this work, DSSCs were developed using Zinc-oxide (ZnO) doped with lanthanide ions of Gadolinium (Gd) and Ytterbium (Yb) nanoparticles at four different concentrations, Zn1−xGdxO (0, 10 at. %), Zn1−xGd x2Yb x2O (10 at. %), Zn1−xYb xO (10 at. %) as semiconducting layers, sensitized with two different natural dyes extracted from blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) that have an anthocyanin based chemical structure and chlorophyl. The solar cells were subjected to I-V analyses under 1 sun illumination to determine the best combination. The results showed that the highest efficiency was obtained with the ZnO: Yb 10 at. % cell, with η= 0.00009%, ISC = 2.31 µA, VOC = 126.50 mV and FF = 29.19% from the chlorophyl dye, representing an increment of 150% from the chlorophyl ZnO: Yb 0 at. % cell with an efficiency of η = 0.00006%. The highest efficiency for the anthocyanin dye was η = 0.00007 % with ISC = 2.46 µA, VOC = 111 mV and FF = 26.97% from the ZnO: Yb 10 at. % cell, representing and increment of 985.91 % from the ZnO: Yb 0 at. % cell with an efficiency of η = 0.0000071% These findings suggest that the doping of ZnO nanoparticles with Yb in 10 at. % can enhance the overall performance of the cell in both dyes, providing a potential solution for more sustainable and efficient solar energy production.