Preparation and Characterization of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell Using Natural Dye Extract from Red Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) as Sensitizer

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) were assembled with crystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) coating on a conductive glass (Indium doped tin oxide, ITO) and absorbed with a novel natural dye extracted from red amaranth (Amaranthus sp.). Solvents of various polarities such as water, ethanol, methanol and acetone were used to extract the dye. Dye sensitization time of TiO2 electrode and solvent for extracting dyes were optimized considering photoelectric output. Again, different polar portions of crude dyes were separated using various polar solvents by means of thin layer and column chromatography technique. The best light to electricity conversion efficiency was obtained when sensitization time of electrode was 30 min and dyes were extracted by acetone in crude form. Sample showed maximum cell voltage 0.492 V, current density 0.78 mA/cm2 and cell efficiency 0.22%

Comparative Study on the Energy Conversion Efficiency of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell Using Different Natural Dyes

The Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using natural dyes extracted from different natural dyes such as Turmeric, Carissa Carandas and Beet absorbed into a nano porous TiO2 substrate. The DSSCs provide a technically and economically credible alternate concept to present day p-n junction photovoltaic device. In contrast to the conventional silicon systems, where the semiconductor assumes both the task of light absorption and charge carrier transport the two functions are separate here. Light is absorbed by a sensitizer, which is anchored to the surface of a wide band gap oxide semiconductor charge separation takes place at the interface via photo-induced electron injection from the dye into the conduction band of solid. Carriers are transported in the conduction band of the semiconductor to the charge collector. The use of sensitizer having a broad absorption band in conjunction with oxide films of nano crystalline morphology permits to harvest a large fraction of sunlight. The purpose of this experiment was to create high performance DSSCs using Titanium dioxide and different natural dyes as the electron donating species. Graphite coated glass was used as the counter electrode. An I-/I-3 electrolyte solution was used as the redox couple The best light-to-electricity conversion efficiency was obtained when citric acid of concentration 0.1M, thickness of electrode 50 μm, dye sensitization time 30 min, annealing temperature 4500 C, and tip of candle flame was used as a catalyst on turmeric dye in crude from extract by methanol. For Turmeric best sample showed maximum cell voltage 0.610 V, current density 0.487 mA/cm2, fill factor 0.36% and cell efficiency 0.11%. For Carissa carandas best sample showed maximum cell voltage 0.510 V, current density 0.310 mA/cm2, fill factor 0.66% and cell efficiency 0.10%. For Beet best sample showed maximum cell voltage 0.505 V, current density 0.306 mA/cm2, fill factor 0.65% and cell efficiency 0.10%