Mr. Sumit Kumar, Assistant Professor, ECE Department, Dronacharya College of Engineering visited IIT Bombay for seventeen days to execute the sanctioned project work from 09 May 16 to 25 May 16, as a Principle Investigator (PI). The project titled “Design and Development of a Highly Efficient Graphene Based Photovoltaic Device”. The project proposal is shortlisted under INUP Programme of IIT Bombay (Indian Nanoelectronics Users Programme) which is duly funded by DeitY (Department of Electronics & Information Technology), MCIT (Ministry of Communication and Information Technology) Government of India. Indian Nanoelectronics Users Program (INUP) is a unique activity jointly run by the CEN (Centre of Excellence in Nanoelectronics) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB).
The whole work was progressed in the Organic Electronics Lab, Bio-sensors & Material Characterization Labs of CEN, IIT Bombay and divided into three slots. In first slot, synthesized TiO2 NPs was used for making its hybrid along with MEHPPV & P3HT (both are conducting Polymers & as it is procured from Sigma Aldrich). The blends were prepared using solvent mixing technique. The whole set up for the different activities was coordinated with the Post Doc & PhD scholars of IIT Bombay to meet the safety requirements of the sophisticated laboratories. TiO2 NPs were mixed in different proportions with polymer MEHPPV & P3HT in order to obtain the efficient hybrid complex and characterise via UV - Visible Spectroscopy, PL spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy i.e. FTIR, X-ray Diffraction i.e. XRD, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope i.e. FESEM to study the following parameters –
1. Phase determination
2. Crystal Structure & Quality
3. Quenching in semiconductor blends
4. Surface Morphology & Determination of Elements
5. Group Determination
6. Bond shifting Property
7. Luminescence Properties, etc.
In the second slot, Graphene Oxide samples were taken and reduced further with the help of L - Ascorbic Acid (L - AA) in various proportions to obtain (single & few layers) reduced graphene oxide i.e. rGO to make it more viable for electronic applications. Similar tests were performed on the samples and is characterised to obtain the optimised properties of modified material via above mentioned parameters.
In the third slot, the nanocomposites of GO & rGO with polymer (MEHPPV & P3HT) were prepared in various proportions and the same were tested for the above mentioned studies. Some serious problems of agglomeration & poor dispersion of GO & rGO in solvents were observed during making of nanocomposites with polymers. This will cause issues in making prototype OPV device & leads to an in - efficient device which are under consideration & remedies will be implemented in next visit, most probably in the month of June and due for the discussion with Scientists & Professors of the field from CSIR, NPL New Delhi, IIT Delhi & ISM Dhanbad.
In this regard, interaction with other researchers and faculty members from IIT Bombay, especially Dr. Ashok K. Sharma, Research Project Scientist, NCPRE & various other reputed institutes made the visit a great success. This visit helps in learning new concepts & motivated a lot to move further in the field of innovation & creativity.
