FABRICATION OF DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS WITH THE DYEING INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT

Abstract

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is the upcoming future technology in the consumption of solar energy. Even though DSSC has been researched for decades, it is in recent times that scientists developed this technology. The economic, eco-friendly and effective dye to be used as sensitizer in DSSC is still the target of the research community across the world. As an attempt in achieving this target, two textile dye (Blue and Green) effluents from the small-scale industries have been employed as sensitizer for DSSC. These dyes were the mixture of the chemicals ((H5G) and combination of H5G and H7GL) with soda ash (Na2CO3) and salt (NaOH) in required amount of water. It was observed that the DSSC made with the blue and green dye exhibited an efficiency of 0.054% and 0.015% respectively. This study revealed that these effluents can be turned into beneficial output when used as sensitizer in DSSC.