Synthesis of mesoporous tin oxide (SnO2) photoanode and rhodamine B dye as sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells application

Tin oxide (SnO2) is a promising semiconducting material for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as a potential alternative to titanium dioxide. Its advantageous properties, such as a wide energy bandgap, excellent photostability, and high charge carrier mobility, make it a suitable candidate for photovoltaic applications. In this study, we report the synthesis of SnO2 nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 5 to 20 nm using the co-precipitation method. The synthesized nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized using various analytical techniques to evaluate their structural, crystallographic, and electronic properties. X-ray diffraction was employed to assess crystallinity, while scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate morphological and structural features. UV-visible spectroscopy was utilized to determine the bandgap of the material. In addition, transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy were conducted to gain deeper insights into the nanoparticle morphology and surface chemistry. For the fabrication of photoelectrodes, a simple yet effective doctor blade method was employed. The photoelectrodes were sensitized with Rhodamine B (Rh-B) dye and subsequently characterized for their performance in DSSCs. Under one-sun illumination conditions, the SnO2-based photoanode sensitized with Rhodamine B (Rh-B) dye demonstrated a solar conversion efficiency of ∼0.78%. These findings highlight the potential of SnO2 nanoparticles as a viable material for DSSC applications and provide a foundation for further optimization of their photovoltaic performance.