Synthesis and characterization of TiO2 thin films for DSSC prototype

Third generation solar cells aim at reducing cost and/or increase the efficiency of the present solar cells. One such attractive approach is moving towards hybrid optoelectronic systems such as Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) which consists of an inorganic-organic hybrid structures. The aim of this paper is to study systematically a DSSC prototype built on an ITO substrate with TiO2 layer sensitized using a natural dye and a counter electrode. The different morphologies of TiO2 obtained using Solgel routes and other wet chemical routes, the influence of different weight percentages and surfactants would be analysed for optoelectronic properties. The most optimized layer is incorporated in making the hybrid optoelectronic system (DSSC). The incorporation of natural dye as sensitizer is an added advantage for the bio-degradability and for a sustainable development. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.