Green synthesis and dye-sensitized solar cell application of rutile and anatase TiO2 nanorods

• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-016-3376-3
• Publication Date: 2016-08-29T06:08:09Z
• Authors: Satish U. Ekar; Ganga Shekhar; Yogesh B. Khollam; Poonam N. Wani; Sandesh R. Jadkar; Mu Naushad; Manohar G. Chaskar; Santosh S. Jadhav; Alaa Fadel; Vijaykumar V. Jadhav; Janardhan H. Shen...; Rajaram S. Mane
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 7. Clean energy

Nanorods (NRs) of TiO2 have biogenically been prepared, i.e., from the extract of Phellinus linteus mushroom. The presence of mixed anatase and rutile TiO2 phases, rod-type crystallites, and 114.16 g/cm2 and 3.7-nm surface area and pore-diameter is evidenced by various measurements. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is fabricated using as-prepared TiO2 NR-based photoanode in the presence of N719 sensitizing dye prepared in 0.5 M lithium iodide and 0.05 M iodine with acetonitrile as redox electrolyte. Solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency (η%) of 3.8 % is recorded and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) curve obtained for TiO2-based DSSCs is fitted using an equivalent circuit for explaining various electrical parameters involved in developed DSSC.