Sel surya tersensitisasi-pewarna merupakan jenis sel surya yang dapat menjadi alternatif sumber energi murah dan mudah dibuat. Prinsip kerjanya relatif berbeda dengan sel surya yang sudah dikenal saat ini. Umumnya, DSSC berbasis titanium (IV) oksida (TiO2). Telah dibuat partikel nano ZnO dengan metode presipitasi yang diharapkan menjadi basis sel surya tersensitisasi pewarna. NaOH diberikan pada prekursor seng asetat dihidrat dalam pelarut etanol dengan rasio molar NaOH : Zn(CH3COO)2 ยท 2H2O 3,6, 1,8, dan 0,9. Penambahan NaOH menghasilkan endapan, kemudian dicuci dengan etanol, dan diproses lanjut dengan pemanasan (anil) dan pascahidrotermal. Partikel yang dicuci pada pengujian XRD memberikan sifat amorf. Keteraturan meningkat dengan perlakuan anil, lalu pascahidrotermal. Sifat elektronik berupa energi celah pita juga diamati dan memberi kecenderungan mengecil dengan ukuran yang meningkat. Kecenderungan berbeda diamati pada sampel dengan rasio molar 1,8. Tegangan sel yang diamati pada setiap rasio molar adalah 30, 67, dan 27 mV.
Dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) is a solar cell that may become an economically feasible and easily manufactured alternative source of energy. The principle is different from conventional silicon solar cell. Such solar cells generally based on titanium (IV) oxide (TiO2). In this research, ZnO nanoparticles was made via precipitation method. The material in question was expected to be the basis of DSSC. NaOH was
added to zinc acetate dihydrate precursor in ethanol with the molar ratios of 3.6, 1.8, and 0.9 respectively. It was observed that the addition of NaOH gave rise to precipitate that was washed with ethanol and subsequently processed by heating (annealing) and post-hydrothermal treatment. After XRD examination, the as-washed particle showed the amorphous tendency, but the internal order was improved after the annealing and post- hydrothermal treatment. The band-gap energy was also observed and gave tendency to be lower with the increasing size, although the nanoparticle with 1.8 molar ratio gave slightly different result. The voltage observed (per molar ratio) was 30, 67, and 27 mV.
