Titania sensitized with SPADNS dye for dye sensitized solar cell

Synthesis of anatase TiO₂ nanoparticle with diameter about 25 nm is carried out by using chemical method and powder of TiO₂ nanoparticle is pasted on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass by doctor blade. New organic SPADNS dye (C₁₆H₉N₂Na₃O₁₁S₃) is used first time to make the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Cell were constructed by using SPADNS dye loaded wide band gap anatase TiO₂ nanoparticle on FTO coated glass as photo-anode, polyiodide as electrolyte, and platinum coated FTO as counter electrode. SPADNS dye was made from organic reagent which is low cost and easy available in market. Better adsorption of SPADNS dye on anatase TiO₂ film is due to porous nature of TiO₂. This better adsorption gives more transportation of electron from dye to TiO₂ which increase the efficiency of solar cell. Although SPADNS dye is the first experiment with TiO₂ nanoparticle for DSSC, it gives photocurrent (short-circuit current density) 1.04 mA/cm², open-circuit voltage 0.59 V, with 0.9 % efficiency under 10 mW/m² LED.