Influence of phthalocyanine nanowire dye on the performance of titanium dioxide-metal organic framework nanocomposite for dye-sensitized solar cells
Phuti S. Ramaripa, Kwena D. Modibane, Katlego Makgopa, Ostar A. Seerane, Manoko S. Maubane‐Nkadimeng, Edwin Makhado, Sadanand Pandey
Abstract
In clean energy, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have become a key tool for the photovoltaic effect. Copper phthalocyanine nanowire (CuPcNW) dyes can be used in DSSCs to generate low-cost devices, light-harvesting, fast electron transfer materials, and prevent recombination processes, as well as improve conductivity. This study investigates the effect of CuPcNW dye on TiO2, MOF, and TiO2-MOF in photovoltaic performance. Electrochemical characterizations such as cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) have also revealed the half-wave peak potentials of the ternary nanocomposite with values of 0.44 and 0.35 V for the oxidation and reduction reversible reactions. The EIS behavior revealed the improved conductivity of the nanocomposite with a value of 244 µS/cm. It was seen that the TiO2-MOF/CuPcNW nanocomposite achieved a maximum power conversion efficiency of 6.467 % owing to the presence of CuPcNW, which improved the photocurrent density, faster electron transport, and reduced charge recombination in the nanocomposite.