Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Fruit extract dyes as photosensitizers in solar cells


Affiliations
1 Department of Organic Colorants, Institute of Color Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16656118481, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
2 Faculty of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
3 Center of Excellence for Color Science and Technology, Institute of Color Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16656118481, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
 

Two natural dyes containing anthocyanin were extracted from sour and sweet pomegranate from Iran. Spectrophotometric evaluation of the natural dyes in solution and on a TiO2 substrate was carried out in order to assess changes in the status of the natural dyes. The results show that the natural dyes indicate buthochromic shift on the TiO2 substrates. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated in order to determine the photovoltaic behaviour of each dye and the mixture of extracts. Such evaluations demonstrate conversion efficiencies of 0.73%, 1.57% and 0.91% for sour pomegranate, sweet pomegranate and mixed extract respectively. Natural dyes are suitable alternative photosensitizers for DSSCs.

Keywords

Anthocyanin, conversion efficiencies, dyesensitized solar cells, natural dye.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Hao, S., Wu, J., Huang, Y. and Lin, J., Natural dyes as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell. Sol. Energy, 2006, 80, 209–214.

  • Wongcharee, K., Meeyoo, V. and Chavagej, S., Dye-sensitized solar cell using natural dyes extracted from rosella and blue pea flowers. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 2007, 91, 566–571.

  • Hagfeld, A., Boschloo, G., Sun, L., Kloo, L. and Pettersoon, H., Dye sensitized solar cells. Chem. Rev., 2010, 110, 6595–6663.

  • Hosseinnezhad, M., Moradian, S., Gharanjig, K. and Afshar Taromi, F., Synthesis and characterization of eight organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Mater. Technol., 2014, 29, 112–117.

  • Narayan, M. R., Review: dye sensitized solar cells based on natural photosensitizers. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2012, 16, 208–215.

  • Hosseinnezhad, M., Moradian, S. and Gharanjig, K., Synthesis and application of two organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Prog. Color Colorants Coat., 2013, 6, 109–117.

  • Fernando, J. M. R. C. and Senadeera, G. K. R., Natural anthocyanices as photosensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells. Curr.Sci., 2008, 95, 663–668.

  • Amao, Y. and Komori, T., Bio-photovoltaic conversion device using chlorine-e6 derived from chlorophyll from Spirulina adsorbed on a nanocrystalline TiO2 film electrode. Biosens. Bioelectron.,2004, 19, 843–847.

  • Hug, H., Bader, M., Mair, P. and Glatzel, T., Biophotovoltaics: natural pigments in dye-sensitized solar cells. Appl. Energy, 2014,115, 216–225.

  • Polo, A. S. and Tha, N. Y., Blue sensitization for solar cells natural dyes from Calafate and Jaboticaba. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol.Cells, 2006, 90, 1936–1944.

  • Nishanta, M., Yapa, Y. and Perera, V., Sensitization of electrochemical solar cells with a natural dye extracted from Kopsia flavida fruit. Proceed. Tech. Sess., 2012, 28, 54–58.

  • Matsui, M., Fujita, T., Kubota, Y., Funabiki, K., Jin, J., Yoshida, T. and Miura, H., The use of indoline dyes in a zinc oxide dyesensitized solar cell. Dye Pigments, 2009, 80, 233–238.

  • Nazeeruddin, M. et al., Conversion of light to electricity by cis-X2bis(2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylate) ruthenium(II) chargetransfer sensitizers (X = Cl–, Br–, I–, CN–, and SCN–) on nanocrystalline titanium dioxide electrodes. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1993, 115,6382–6390.

  • Cherepy, N. J., Smestad, G. P., Gratzel, M. and Zang, J. Z., Ultrafast electron injection: implications for a photoelectrochemical cell utilizing an anthocyanin dye-sensitized TiO2 nanocrystalline electrode. J. Phys. Chem. B., 1997, 101, 9342–9351.

  • Garcia, C. G., Polo, A. S. and Murakami, N. Y., Fruit extracts and ruthenium polypyridinic dyes for sensitization of TiO2 in photoelectrochemical solar cells. J. Photochem. Photobiol. A: Chem., 2003, 160, 87–91.

  • Park, S., Won, Y., Choi, Y. and Kim, J., Molecular design of organic dyes with double electron acceptor for dye-sensitized solar cell. Energy Fuel, 2009, 23, 3732–3739.

  • Sayama, K. et al., Efficient sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2 films with cyanine and merocyanine organic dyes. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 2003, 80, 47–71.

  • Ludin, N. A., Mahmoud, A. M., Mohamad, A. B., Kadhum, A. A., Sopian, K. and Abdul Karim, N., Review on the development of natural dye photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells. Renew. Sustain Energy Rev., 2014, 31, 386–396.


Abstract Views: 282

PDF Views: 104




  • Fruit extract dyes as photosensitizers in solar cells

Abstract Views: 282  |  PDF Views: 104

Authors

Mozhgan Hosseinnezhad
Department of Organic Colorants, Institute of Color Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16656118481, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Siamak Moradian
Faculty of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Kamaladin Gharanjig
Center of Excellence for Color Science and Technology, Institute of Color Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16656118481, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of

Abstract


Two natural dyes containing anthocyanin were extracted from sour and sweet pomegranate from Iran. Spectrophotometric evaluation of the natural dyes in solution and on a TiO2 substrate was carried out in order to assess changes in the status of the natural dyes. The results show that the natural dyes indicate buthochromic shift on the TiO2 substrates. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated in order to determine the photovoltaic behaviour of each dye and the mixture of extracts. Such evaluations demonstrate conversion efficiencies of 0.73%, 1.57% and 0.91% for sour pomegranate, sweet pomegranate and mixed extract respectively. Natural dyes are suitable alternative photosensitizers for DSSCs.

Keywords


Anthocyanin, conversion efficiencies, dyesensitized solar cells, natural dye.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv109%2Fi5%2F953-956