Research ArticleOpen AccessGoogle Scholar indexed

Plant Seeds-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

¹ Chemistry Department, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestinian Authority
² Physics Department, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestinian Authority
³ Physics Department, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestinian Authority
⁴ Physics Department, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestinian Authority
⁵ Physics Department, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestinian Authority

Materials Sciences and Applications·Volume 04 (2013)·Pages 516–520·Published 3 September 2013·DOI10.4236/msa.2013.49063

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on natural dyes extracted from ten different plant seeds. The extracts were characterized by UV - VIS absorption spectra. The solar cells were assem bled using a TiO 2 mesoporous film on FTO-coated glass. The photovoltaic properties of the DSSCs were studied under an incident irradiation of 100 mW/cm 2 . The best performance was for the DSSC sensitized with Eruca sativa with a solar energy conversion efficiency of 0.725%. Moreover, the validity of these extracts was compared using two types of semiconductor layers (TiO 2 and ZnO), and finally the photovoltaic properties of one of these dyes w ere studied using different types of electrolytes.

KeywordsRenewable EnergyDye Sensitized Solar CellsNatural DyesPlant Seeds

B. O’Regan and M. Gratzel, “A Low-Cost, High-Efficiency Solar Cell Based on Dye-Sensitized Colloidal TiO2 Films,” Nature, Vol. 353, No. 6346, 1991, pp. 737-740. doi:10.1038/353737a0
S. Ito, T. Saitou, H. Imahori, H. Ueharad and N. Hasegawad,” Fabrication of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using Natural Dye for Food Pigment: Monascus Yellow,” Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2010, pp. 905-909. doi:10.1039/c000869a
T. El-Agez, A. El Tayyan, A. Al-Kahlout, S. A. Taya and M. S. Abdel-Latif, “Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Based on ZnO Films and Natural Dyes,” International Journal of Materials and Chemistry, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2012, pp. 105-110.
S. Hao, J. Wu,Y. Huang and J. Lin, “Natural Dyes as Photosensitizers for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell,” Solar Energy, Vol. 80, No. 2, 2006, pp. 209-214. doi:10.1016/j.solener.2005.05.009
T. Chou, Q. Zhang and G. Cao, “Effects of Dye Loading Conditions on the Energy Conversion Efficiency of ZnO and TiO2 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells,” The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, Vol. 111, No. 50, 2007, pp. 18804-18811. doi:10.1021/jp076724f
S. Taya, T. El-Agez, H. El-Ghamri and M. Abdel-Latif, “Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using Fresh and Dried Natural Dyes,” International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2013, pp. 37-42. doi:10.11648/j.ijmsa.20130202.11
H. Zhou, L. Wu, Y. Gao and T. Ma, “Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using 20 Natural Dyes as Sensitizers,” Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, Vol. 219, No. 2, 2011, pp. 188-194. doi:10.1016/j.jphotochem.2011.02.008
K. Wongcharee, V. Meeyoo and S. Chavadej, “Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Using Natural Dyes Extracted from Rosella and Blue Pea Flowers,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 91, No. 1, 2007, pp. 566-571. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2006.11.005
M. Roy, P. Balraju, M. Kumar and G. Sharma, “DyeSensitized Solar Cell Based on Rose Bengal Dye and Nanocrystalline TiO2,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 92, No. 2, 2008, pp. 909-913. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2008.02.022
G. Calogero and G. Marco, “Red Sicilian Orange and Purple Eggplant Fruits as Natural Sensitizers for DyeSensitized Solar cells,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 92, No. 1, 2008, pp. 1341-1346. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2008.05.007
T. Lin, J. Lin, Sh. Tsai, J. Lee and Ch. Ting, “Absorption Spectra Analysis of Natural Dyes for Applications in Dye-Sensitized Nano Solar Cells,” The 31st National Conference on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Vol. 96, No. 12, 2007, pp. 21-22.

Menu

Menu

Menu

Plant Seeds-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

References (16)