Carbon derived from Jute Sacks For Low-Cost and Efficient Counter Electrodes of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Non-activated and activated carbons derived from jute sacks were used as counter electrode (CE) materials of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The non-activated carbon sample was synthesized by carbonization of jute fibers at 600°C in N₂. The activated carbon samples were synthesized by carbonizing the ZnCl2 activated jute at 600 and 800°C in N₂. The x-ray diffraction revealed that the jute-based carbon samples comprised of graphitic and amorphous carbons. Raman spectroscopy disclosed that the disordered carbon was dominant in all samples. Based on the energy dispersive x-rays spectroscopy measurements, activated carbon prepared at 800 °C had the highest amount of carbon content (~94.3%). The surface textural properties of the samples were investigated with N₂ adsorption-desorption experiment. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of non-activated (NACJ6), activated at 600 °C (ACJ6) and activated at 800 °C (ACJ8) carbon samples were 23.73, 1912, and 1613 m²g^-1, respectively, and their corresponding pore volumes were 0.02448, 1.114 and 0.9625 cm³g^-1, respectively. ACJ8 with the highest carbon content, moderately high surface area, and micropores and mesopores/macropores demonstrated superior catalytic ability among the samples. The efficiency of the light to electric power conversion of the DSSCs using ACJ8, ACJ6, and NACJ6 as CEs were found to be about 3.35, 2.75, and 0.88%, respectively, compared to 3.39% that of the DSSC using platinum (Pt). Obtained efficiency comparable to Pt based DSSC using the ACJ8 sample implies that the jute-based activated carbon can be an inexpensive and efficient CE material alternative to Pt for commercialization.