© 2018 JETIR December 2018, Volume 5, Issue 12 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162) JETIR1812956 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 371 IMPROVEMENT IN PHOTOVOLTAIC PARAMETERS BY EMPLOYING DIP COATED BLOCKING LAYER IN PHOTOANODE OF DSSC Narottam Prasad, Giriraj Chayal and Kharta Ram Patel Department of Physics, JNV University, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India Abstract: Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is fabricated by using screen printed titania as photoanode, quasi-solid state electrolyte and xylenol orange dye as photosensitizer. Further, the impact of blocking layer on photoanode has been analyzed in terms of change in power conversion efficiency of the cell. The selective and combined influence of blocking layer on photoanode was determined in terms of improvement in Voc, Jsc and finally conversion efficiency () of DSSC. It is found that the effect of blocking layer on photoanode increased power conversion efficiency of DSSC more than two times. Further, the use of ionic polymeric iodide/triiodide redox electrolyte imparts stability to device. KEYWORDS: blocking layer, xylenol orange, quasi-solid polymeric electrolyte, efficiency. I. INTRODUCTION Solar energy harvesting through dye-sensitized solar cells is attracting global community for converting solar energy into electrical energy as it is easy to fabricate, cost effective and eco friendly [1-2]. It may become a potential alternative to commercial solid-state semiconductor solar cells. However, their photo conversion efficiency is less than 13% because of the intrinsic limitation in charge transport [3]. The photoanode of a DSSC is prepared by screen printing the mesoporous oxide semiconductor film with high specific surface area on a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) [4-5]. Here the challenge lies in working with liquid electrolyte to restrict the leakage which otherwise limits long term durability of the cell. The only option left under these circumstances is to use quasi solid electrolyte which not only restricts leakage of electrolyte but also imparts stability of device [6]. The use of xylenol orange (XO) organic dye as sensitizer in dye sensitized solar cell has been reported by T. Matsuhara et al. [7] wherein they have used aqueous solution of XO in 0.1 M acetic acid for sensitization. The cell fabricated with this dye shows 2.2 mA/cm 2 Jsc, 0.44V Voc, 0.7 FF and 1.3% conversion efficiency (at illumination intensity of 57mW/cm 2 ). They have used aqueous solution of dye for sensitization of photoanode and liquid state electrolyte for greater efficiency but with reduced the stability. Nanocrystalline TiO2 layer on photoanode plays a very important role in the DSSC device which is prepared by various methods like doctor blading, spin coating, screen printing etc. [8]. Blocking Layer (BL) was applied as barrier layer at fluorine doped tin oxide glass (FTO)/TiO2 interface to increase the functional properties of the cells [9-10] by charge transfer resistance at the blocking layer/electrolyte interface. Loss of