ZnO nanoneedle structure based dye-sensitized solar cell utilizing solid polymer electrolyte

Developing new technologies that could lead to alternatives to the traditional silicon-based solar panels and to efficiently light the world in the future, is critically important because of limited natural petroleum resources. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are promisingly efficient and clean hybrid, organic-inorganic, low-cost molecular solar cell devices. Because of their unique, multifunctional properties, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are promising materials to use to create photoanodes for DSSCs. ZnO was one of the first metal oxides which used in dye-sensitized solar cells. It exhibits a unique combination of potentially interesting properties such as high bulk electron mobility and probably the richest variety of nanostructures based on a very wide range of synthesis routes. The fabricated ZnO nanoneedle based DSSCs shows a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 20 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.48 V, fill factor (FF) of 0.44 and efficiency (ɳ) of 4.2% at one sun condition.