Abstract:
The generation of electricity using solar energy is an efective system to overcome the current global energy crisis. In this
regard, developing new semiconductor materials can be of great interest in overcoming the challenge of charge carrier recombination and, hence, improving the power conversion efciency (PCE) in photovoltaic devices, particularly dye-sensitized
solar cells (DSSCs). Here, reduced graphene oxide-Sr0.7Sm0.3Fe0.6Co0.4O3 (RGO-SSFC) nanocomposites were synthesized
using the hydrothermal method and characterized with the aid of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, as well as a
vibrating sample magnetometer, and further tested for application as photoanodes in DSSCs. Scanning electron microscopy
revealed the presence of RGO nanosheets that were fully decorated by irregular- and spherical-shaped SSFC nanoparticles.
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confrmed the strong synergistic interaction of the RGO-SSFC nanocomposites.
The large surface area of RGO-SSFC nanocomposite photoanodes facilitated efective dye loading, high photon absorption,
and efcient electron transfer, resulting in better device performance. Compared to RGO-SSFC-0.1 and RGO-SSFC-1.0, the
RGO-SSFC-0.5 nanocomposite showed an enhanced open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.84 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc)
of 14.02 mA cm−2 , and a PCE of 7.25%. Eosin B and MK-2 organic dyes used as photosensitizers coated on the RGO-SSFC
semiconductors resulted in low-cost DSSC photoanodes.
