title: Natural dye sensitized TiO2 nanorods assembly of broccoli shape based solar cells.
abstract: TiO2 nanorods based thin films with rutile phase have been synthesized using template free low temperature hydrothermal method. The scanning electron microscope images showed that the prepared TiO2 samples were made of TiO2 nanorods and the nanorods had arranged by itself to form a broccoli like shape. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the prepared TiO2 samples exhibit rutile phase. The grown TiO2 nanorods had been sensitized using the flowers of Sesbania (S) grandiflora, leaves of Camellia (C) sinensis and roots of Rubia (R) tinctorum. Dye sensitized solar cells had been fabricated using the natural dye sensitized TiO2 nanorods based thin film photoelectrode and the open circuit voltage and short circuit current density were found to lie in the range of 0.45-0.6 V and 5.6-6.4 mA/cm(2) respectively. The photovoltaic performance of all the fabricated natural dye sensitized TiO2 solar cells indicate that natural dyes have the potential to be used as effective sensitizer in dye sensitized solar cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: akilayuva@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Akila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yuvapragasam
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: vishnukutty2002@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muthukumarasamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: santhanam.agilan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agilan
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering, University College of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: dhayalan.velauthapillai@hib.no.
authors.forename: Dhayalan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Velauthapillai
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Erode Sengunthar College, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: tssenthi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Senthil
authors.affiliation: Renewable Energy, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, UK. Electronic address: s.sundaram@exeter.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Senthilarasu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sundaram
mesh_terms: D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D004566:Electrodes; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D045470:Rubia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D049931:Sesbania / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012993:Solar Energy; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium