Performance of natural-dye-sensitized solar cells by ZnO nanorod and nanowall enhanced photoelectrodes

• Saif Saadaoui,
• Mohamed Aziz Ben Youssef,
• Moufida Ben Karoui,
• Rached Gharbi,
• Emanuele Smecca,
• Vincenzina Strano,
• Salvo Mirabella,
• Alessandra Alberti and
• Rosaria A. Puglisi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 287–295, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.31

• ; nanorods; nanowalls; natural dye; ZnO; Introduction Energy demand has increased rapidly during the last forty years to reach a growth rate of 1.8% per year [1]. To satisfy this growing need, it is necessary to find new sources of renewable energy. For instance, photovoltaic (PV) technologies offer a

• improved by modifying the energy difference between the Fermi level (EF) of the semiconductor potential and redox potential (Eredox) of the electrolyte [10]. Results and Discussion Dye analysis In order to understand the structure of natural dye molecules and to determine the main elements responsible for

• cm−1. 2-Hydroxy-1,4-napthaquinone (C10H6O3), frequently called lawsone [15][18], is one of the constituents of the natural dye henna in addition to other compounds, such as gallic acid, sterols, resin, tannin and coumarins [19]. Lawsone (Figure 4b), the main component of henna extract, has been used