Preparation and comparison performance of CuO Nanopartecles and CuO/TiO2 / Nanocomposite and application in solar cell

Abstract

Nanostructures of metal oxides of CuO, and TiO₂ were prepared by the hydrothermal method. Also, CuO/TiO₂ nanocomposites were prepared by the hydrothermal technique using an equal ratio of 1:1 The properties of the prepared compounds were investigated through Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy FE-SEM, Transmission Electron Microscopy TEM, X-Ray Diffraction. The images of FE-SEM have confirmed that the prepared  TiO₂ , CuO, and nanoparticles were structured as Nanoparticles, Spherical, and CuO/ TiO₂ nanocomposites which were mixed in an equal ratio were structured as rocks-like structures. The results of the X-ray diffraction indicated the presence of CuO, and TiO₂ as (monoclinic structures, Tetragonal) respectively. with the average crystallite sizes,( 13.10,8.65 and 10.12)nm, for CuO , TiO₂ and CuO/TiO₂ respectively. The optical properties of the prepared nanoparticles CuO , TiO₂ , and CuO/TiO₂ were studied through UV-Vis Spectroscopy. The optical band gap of the prepared products was determined by UV-Visible spectrophotometry and was found to be 2.1, 3.0, and 2.8 eV for TiO₂, CuO, NPs, and CuO /TiO₂ nanocomposites respectively. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated based on TiO2, CuO, NPs, and CuO /TiO₂ nanocomposites are casted onto (FTO) substrates (front electrode), while the back electrode is carbon/FTO-glass substrate. Two types of natural dyes were used in this study. Chlorophyll pigment in green leek and anthocyanin red pigment in cochineal pomegranate whereas iodine/ iodide KI/I2 is used as the electrolyte solution. The solar cells efficiency rates (1.51,0.74 and  0.94) for CuO, TiO₂ NPs, and CuO /TiO₂ nanocomposites/ are chlorophyll pigments present in green leek respectively. and The solar cells efficiency rates (1.20,0.558 and 0.88) for CuO, TiO₂ Nps, and CuO/TiO₂ nanocomposites/ anthocyanin pigment present in red pomegranate respectively