Investigating the photoelectrochemical behavior of bis-azo dyes

Author: Givi Kadagishvili
Co-authors: Elene Ivaniashvili, Tinatin Bukia
Keywords: Mesoporous, Indium-Tin oxide
Annotation:

The depletion of traditional energy sources and climate change has prompted high demand for the development of alternative, eco-friendly solar-energy-based technologies, such as the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells are an economically suitable version of solar technology and one of the ways of optimizing DSSCs is by alternating the sensitizing pigments. Within the framework of this research, we studied bis-azo dyes on the base of 2,3,3-trimethyl indolenine. This dye is synthesized in two steps: a nitration step and a reduction step. Then, this dye is applied on a mesoporous surface that is developed by spin-coating an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) nanoparticle and latex beads suspension on an ITO glass substrate, which was later sintered. Spin-coating ITO allows for the creation of a three-dimensional surface, which increases surface area, in turn increasing the substrate’s effectiveness. Afterwards, the assembled systems are tested for photoelectrochemical activity under visible light with different intensities. The system is also tested with cyclic voltammetry. The measurements are made using the Zahner Photoelectrochemical workstation. The results show that the mesoporous surface increases the system’s efficiency. The system is also sensitive to increasing the light intensity, which consequently increases the subsequent signal. The changes in the applied system potential also change the photoelectrochemical signal.

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