ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Developing a new electrolytic method for CuO/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite synthesis and their application as a photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells

Aqeel Mahdi Jreo Alduhaidahawi, Dheyaa Hussein Mohsin, and Hanaa Kadtem Egzar

Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

E-mail: aqeelm.alduhaidahawi@uokufa.edu.iq

Received: 4 December 2024  Accepted: 11 April 2025

Abstract:

Regarding sustainability, affordability, and material consumption, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are among the finest solutions for addressing the pressing need to develop renewable energy sources. The current work reports, a straightforward electrochemical approach for synthesizing CuO/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite. Investigates their structure, morphology, crystallinity, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) as efficient and low-cost photo-anode electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), CuO/Al₂O₃ was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis spectroscopy and current–voltage (I–V) performance. The optical band gap was determined to be 3.18 eV. (DSSCs) parameters, including V_oc, I_sc, FF, and ɳ, were derived from the I–V curves. The (PCE) values of fabricated DSSCs were (0.65%, 0.83%, 0.78%, and 1.9232%) for (Rossel, Chlorophyll, Methylene MB, and Methylene red dye MR), respectively. The results indicate that MR dye and CuO/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite were the most effective sensitizer and photoanode among all evaluated alternatives.

Keywords: Materials for Energy and Catalysis; Metal Oxides; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterial; Solar Cells; Photocatalysis; DSSCs; CuO/Al2O3 nanocomposite; Electrolytic method; Photoanode; Natural dyes; Chemical dyes

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04068-7

Chemical Papers 79 (7) 4459–4469 (2025)