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Saffron dye-sensitized solar cells with polyvinyl alcohol based gel polymer electrolytes

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Abstract

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) based on polyvinyl alcohol consist of iodide/triiodide ions have been prepared and tested for saffron dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The effect of 4-tert-butylpyridine (TBP) on the GPE and DSSC has been investigated. The room temperature ionic conductivity of GPEs (with and without TBP) lies in the range of ~ 10–3 S/cm and increases with increasing temperature up to ~ 10–2 S/cm at 373 K. Current density–voltage (J–V) characteristics of DSSCs shows that the DSSC fabricated with TBP exhibits the highest short circuit current density of (2.80 ± 0.30) mA/cm2 and power conversion efficiency of 0.62%. The lowest series resistance was found in the same cell's electrical impedance spectroscopy, indicating that electrolyte charge transport dominates in DSSCs. Furthermore, intensity-modulated photocurrent and intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopies were used to evaluate the electron transfer time constant (tr) and electron recombination time (trec) of the constructed DSSCs. The most efficient DSSC (with TBP) has the shortest tr of 0.17 s and the fastest trec of 0.50 s.

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Acknowledgements

Authors like to thank Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education for financial support in the form of Fundamental Research Grant Scheme under project no. FRGS/1/2019/STG07/UM/02/3.

Funding

Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme under project no. FRGS/1/2019/STG07/UM/02/3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Centre for Ionics University of Malaya, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Marziyeh Alinejad, M. H. Buraidah & A. K. Arof

  2. Department of Physical Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Jalan Genting Kelang, Setapak, 53300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    L. P. Teo

Authors
  1. Marziyeh Alinejad
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  2. M. H. Buraidah
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  3. L. P. Teo
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  4. A. K. Arof
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Contributions

M prepared the electrolytes and fabricated the solar cells. She tested the samples with various characterisations as well as analysed the results. She has drafted the manuscript. AKA is the co-supervisor of first author along with MHB. Both supervisors responsible in overseeing the work done and checking the manuscript. LPT has assisted the first author in the works done and helped reviewing the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to M. H. Buraidah.

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Alinejad, M., Buraidah, M.H., Teo, L.P. et al. Saffron dye-sensitized solar cells with polyvinyl alcohol based gel polymer electrolytes. Opt Quant Electron 55, 804 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-023-05078-z

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