SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DYE‑SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS UTILIZING SEMICONDUCTOR NANO‑COMPOSITES EXTRACTED FROM SILICA (SiO2) EXTRACTED FROM RICE HUSK

Abstract

This research presents a comprehensive analysis of silica extracted from rice husk, with a focus on particle size characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis to elucidate its chemical structure. SEM results reveal a nano-scale particle size distribution ranging from 50 to 70 nanometers, while FTIR spectra differentiate between silica extracted without burning and after the burning process. Additionally, solar cells were fabricated based on various compositional mixtures, and the mixture exhibiting the highest I-V characteristics was identi ied through comparative analysis. Solar cells based on the optimized composition displayed the highest efficiency, with a ill factor (FF) of 0.4080, shortcircuit current density (JSC) of 380.31 mA/cm 2 , and open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 657 mV, indicating a notable increment. The efficiency improvement percentage of TiO2 and SiO2 in the composite cell compared to only TiO2 is approximately 38.415%. This study enriches our understanding of rice husk-derived silica, laying the groundwork for practical applications in renewable energy and nanotechnology. The detailed characterization of silica's attributes provides valuable insights for optimizing its composition in diverse technological advancements