The effect of temperature on the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) based on magnesium-dopted ZnO nanorods

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effect of an optimum temperature of 80°C on the performance of DSSCs based on magnesium (Mg)-doped ZnO nanorods. The synthesis of ZnO:Mg nanorods was carried out using a seed-mediated hydrothermal method with variations. Material characterization included X-ray diffraction (XRD) to analyze the crystal structure, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) for morphology, UV-Vis spectroscopy for optical properties, and current-voltage (I-V) measurements for photovoltaic performance. The results show that Mg doping in ZnO can modify the energy band gap, enhance visible light absorption, and improve electron mobility. Variations in growth temperature significantly affect the morphological structure of the nanorods and the energy conversion efficiency of the DSSC. The optimum temperature of 80°C yielded the highest efficiency of 1.846%, where the ZnO:Mg nanorods formed were uniform, dense, and welloriented, resulting in higher DSSC efficiency compared to other temperature variations. These findings confirm that the combination of Mg doping at a growth temperature of 80°C can enhance the performance of ZnO-based DSSCs.