Electrochemical Deposition of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles for High-Performance Dye Sensitized  Solar Cells ( DSSCs) Applications

The electrochemical production of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) and their use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are described in this work. Using graphite as the cathode and copper foil as the anode, CuO NPs were created via electrochemical deposition under carefully regulated voltage and current conditions. The obtained CuO NPs' monoclinic phase, nanosheet-like morphology, and high purity were confirmed by structural and morphological characterizations carried out using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The nanoparticles were then used as photoanodes in methyl orange dye-sensitized DSSCs. The open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.593 V, the short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 3.43 mA, and the fill factor (FF) of 49.4%, which correspond to a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.67%, were obtained from current–voltage (I–V) measurements used to assess photovoltaic performance. The improved performance is ascribed to CuO NPs' advantageous optical and electrical characteristics, quick electron injection, and effective dye adsorption. These results show that CuO NPs produced electrochemically are viable and affordable options for DSSC applications, and they also help to develop sustainable photovoltaic technologies.