Synthesis ofTiO2nanostructures by green approach as photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Clean and green energy being worlds priority today, here in this work TiO(2)nanostructures were prepared via green route using the fruit extracts derived from pineapple, orange, and grapes as reducing agents respectively. The anatase phase of the prepared TiO(2)nanostructures was confirmed through the X-ray diffraction pattern and the Raman analysis, respectively. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images of the samples was found to exhibit nanorods like morphology. Further, the functional groups and the optical properties of the synthesized TiO(2)andMurraya koenigiifruit dye were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV-Vis spectroscopy, respectively. From the Tauc plot, the indirect bandgap values of the TiO(2)nanostructures were calculated. Using the prepared TiO(2)nanostructures as photoanodes dye-sensitized solar cells were fabricated and its performance was studied. In this work, two different dyes such as the natural extract derived from the fruit skin ofMurraya koenigiiand the commercial N719 dye were used as sensitizers.

Automated summary

Clean and green energy is a global priority, and in this study, TiO(2) nanostructures were prepared using fruit extracts as reducing agents. The structural and optical properties of the synthesized TiO(2) nanostructures were characterized, and their performance in dye-sensitized solar cells was studied using two different dyes.