Nur Aulia Adzra Rizky, Nadiya Miftachul Chusna, Ahmad Taufiq, Edi Suharyadi, Malik Anjleh Baqiya, Sunaryono Sunaryono
Fabrication of thin films based on Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposite photoelectrodes was successfully achieved using the doctor blade method. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of TiO2 composition on the magnetic properties and photoresponse of thin films utilizing Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposite photoelectrodes. The crystal structure, functional groups, morphology, and magnetic properties of the Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), respectively. Meanwhile, the optical properties and photoresponse of thin films based on Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposite photoelectrodes were investigated using a UV–Vis spectrometer and a photoresponse instrument, respectively. The XRD characterization indicates that the sample consists of cubic spinel (Mn0.25Fe2.75O4) and tetragonal spinel (TiO2) nanoparticles, with particle sizes of 7.54–10.21 nm and 10.79–14.47 nm, respectively. Based on characterization using TEM, the morphology of the Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposite is spherical, with porous cavities, and the particle sizes range from 10.57 to 13.26 nm. Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposites exhibit superparamagnetic properties, with a saturation magnetization value decreasing from 41.90 to 9.04 emu/g as the TiO2 nanoparticles increase. That magnetic behavior supports enhanced power conversion efficiency. This is due to the bound magnetic polarons that can absorb dye molecules in DSSC. This result is also consistent with the absorbance of the Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposite, which decreases from 3.69 to 3.28 eV with increasing TiO2 nanoparticle content. That shift in the band gap enhances photon absorption. The photo-response test results show that the light response time during rise time (τr) is 1.53–0.45 s, and the light response time during decay time (τd) is 1.01–0.26 s. Based on the result of this report, the faster photoresponse at τr = 0.45 s and τd = 0.26 s was observed with the higher TiO2 content in Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposite. That means the relatively fast photo-response time indicates that the Mn0.25Fe2.75O4/PEG/TiO2 nanocomposite has the potential to serve as a photoelectrodes material that can conduct electron flow quickly. © 2026 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Mions Laboratory, PT Cakra Mions Teknologi (Persero), Malang, Indonesia; PUI-Centre of Advanced Materials for Renewable Energy (CAMRY), Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia
