PVA Based Polymer Electrolyte with Layered Filler Graphite for Natural Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

Graphite nanopowder is synthesized by mechanical method using ball mill and used as filler in polymer electrolyte film based on Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for application in natural dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In the present work dye sensitized solar cell has been assembled using electrolyte system composed of PVA as host polymer, ethylene carbonate as plasticizer, LiI: I2 as redox couple and graphite as filler; TiO2 modified with Copper oxide (CuO) photoanode in order to provide inherent energy barrier and natural cocktail dye as sensitizer. The obtained solar cell conversion efficiency was about 3.2 % with fill factor 52% using an irradiation of 100 mW/cm2 at 25º C

Study of the use of dehydrated salts : as electrolytes in the fuel cells

117-123The main advantage of the non-conventional energy sources over the conventional energy sources is its cleanness, low chemical and noise pollution, high fuel efficiency with better fuel flexibility and economy. Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert the chemical energy of a fuel directly and very efficiently into electricity. Here we report a new class of electrolyte, i.e. polycrystalline dehydrated salts as an intermediate temperature fuel cell electrolyte. The porous conduction in the dehydrated salts was established by the study of DTA/TGA, transference number, bulk electrical conductivity measurement and EMF study

Production of solar hydrogen energy by nanostructured semiconductor photoelectrode

75-78The present paper describes the modification and solar hydrogen production studies employing a new semiconductor-septum (SC-SEP) photoelectrode ns-TiO2-In2O3 admixed/Ti based photoelectrochemical solar cell. The current-voltage characteristics of the above SC-SEP cell revealed that an enhancement in short-circuit current (ISC) up to three times (5~14.6 mAcm-2). The optimum hydrogen production rate was found to be 11.8 lh-1m-2 for 5 M H2SO4 and with a further increase in H2SO4 concentration, the hydrogen production rate was found to be invariant. In yet another part of our study instead of using new SC-SEP solar cell design, we used a new material form such as ns-TiO2-WO3. The WO3 admixed ns-TiO2 exhibited a high photo-current and photo-voltage of 15.6 mAcm-2, 960 mV, respectively. The ns-TiO2-WO3 electrode exhibited a higher hydrogen gas evolution rate of 13.8 lh-1m-2

Structural and dielectric studies of [PVA –LiAc] : TiO₂ polymer nano-composite system

70-74An attempt has been made in the present work to prepare Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) based proton conducting gel electrolyte that characterizes them. Nano composite polymer electrolyte consisting of Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA), Lithium acetate with TiO2 filler, is synthesized by the combination of solution cast technique and sol-gel process. Electrically conducting polymer have been most widely accomplished using chemical and electrochemical processing techniques. The composite electrolyte films were characterized by different experimental techniques. The average particle sizes of composite electrolytes were in between 20-30 nm and this system is essentially ionic with maximum conductivity of polymer electrolyte 90[80PVA-20LiAc]:10TiO2 is [~4.5x10-6 S/cm] at room temperature. </sub

Millets for Food and Nutrition Security: A Review

Millets are a species of grass plants with small grains that have a remarkable ability to endure severe drought and play an important role in many regions of the country's dietary patterns. Millets possess an abundance amount of minerals, dietary fibre and phytochemicals which makes them nutritionally superior to conventional food grains. Millet also has a high antioxidant capacity and nutraceutical content, which can help prevent oxidative stress-related disorders like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Millets have been shown to provide a variety of physiological benefits such as free radical scavenging activity, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and anti-diabetic properties. Soaking, germination, malting, decortication, and boiling of millets serve to reduce anti-nutritional elements while improving digestibility and nutritional content. Millet is a potentially tremendous crop but under-explored as compared to cereals. Enhancing the consumption of millets would help in addressing the problem of nutritional security, hidden hunger and combating oxidative stress-induced disorders in developing countries