TY - JOUR
T1 - Green synthesis of CuO nanoparticles from Cucurbita maxima leaf extract; a platinum free counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells
AU - Mukhokosi, Emma Panzi
AU - Tenywa, Stephen
AU - Botha, Nandipha L.
AU - Azizi, Shohreh
AU - Seopela, Mathapelo Pearl
AU - Maaza, Malik
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s).
PY - 2025/2
Y1 - 2025/2
N2 - Green synthesis of metal oxides has attracted attention as the latest technology in synthesizing metal oxide nanoparticles due to its simplicity, cheapness, non-toxicity and its ability for large scale production. Metal oxides find applications in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as counter electrodes (CEs) and photo-anodes. However, applications of green synthesized metal oxides as counter electrodes have not been fully explored. In this study, CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from Cucurbita maxima leaf extract and applied as a CE in DSSC. Uniformly synthesized CuO NPs were subjected to various characterization tools to obtain the crystal structure, surface morphology, particle size, optical properties, chemical bonds and photovoltaic properties. Using a natural dye from of Cucurbita maxima as a photon absorber, a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 4.2 µA/cm2, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.17 V, a maximum power (Pmax) of 0.18 mW/cm2, and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.8 × 10−4 % under one-sun illumination were obtained.
AB - Green synthesis of metal oxides has attracted attention as the latest technology in synthesizing metal oxide nanoparticles due to its simplicity, cheapness, non-toxicity and its ability for large scale production. Metal oxides find applications in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as counter electrodes (CEs) and photo-anodes. However, applications of green synthesized metal oxides as counter electrodes have not been fully explored. In this study, CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from Cucurbita maxima leaf extract and applied as a CE in DSSC. Uniformly synthesized CuO NPs were subjected to various characterization tools to obtain the crystal structure, surface morphology, particle size, optical properties, chemical bonds and photovoltaic properties. Using a natural dye from of Cucurbita maxima as a photon absorber, a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 4.2 µA/cm2, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.17 V, a maximum power (Pmax) of 0.18 mW/cm2, and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.8 × 10−4 % under one-sun illumination were obtained.
KW - Cucurbita maxima
KW - CuO
KW - DSSCs
KW - Green synthesis
KW - Natural dye
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105001375015&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.46481/jnsps.2025.2309
DO - 10.46481/jnsps.2025.2309
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105001375015
SN - 2714-2817
VL - 7
JO - Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences
JF - Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences
IS - 1
M1 - 2309
ER -
