Efficiency enhancement of natural cocktail dyes in a TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cell and performance of electron kinetics on the TiO2 surface

Abstract

In this study, natural dye extracts were prepared from the dried leaves of Andrographis paniculata and Psidium guajava (APPG). The study’s objective was to increase the light harvesting phenomenon from solar energy utilizing natural dye from APPG, and the problem statement was to harvest the optimum solar radiation and convert it into electrical energy. Acetone and ethanol were used as solvents during the preparation process. Based on this research, the crystallite size of TiO2 nanoparticles was assessed, the impact of acetone and ethanol on APPG dye was compared, and the absorption, FTIR, and UV-Vis spectra of the solar cell fabrication process using solvents were experimentally explored. APPG leaf extract functions as a dye sensitizer. Cells are precisely sandwiched with a photoanode, TiO2 nanoparticles, an electrolyte (I/I3−), and a cathode. The JV properties of dye extracts utilizing acetone and ethanol were measured using a solar simulator equipped with a 100 mW/cm2 Xenon light and a Keithley 2400 Graphical Series SMU. An experimental DSSC with dye extraction and utilizing acetone solvent yielded a maximum photo-conversion efficiency of 0.6914%, while ethanol yielded a photo-conversion efficiency of 0.5630%. Furthermore, an energy-level diagram was used to explain the electron kinetics of DSSC, and the time required for transfer electron injection in the TiO2 surface from a dye-excited state was 150 ps.

Harnessing visible light: enhancing TiO2 photocatalysis with photosensitizers for sustainable and efficient environmental solutions

“…The rate and efficiency of both electron and energy transfer processes depends on various factors, such as the degree to which the electronic states of the donor and acceptor molecules overlap the distance between donor and acceptor, the solvent polarity, temperature, and surrounding conditions. The quantum yield represents the probability of a transfer event occurring and is a measure of the efficiency of the process (Sekar and Periasamy, 2003), (DeVine et al, 2015;Kubas, 2021;Roduner and Krüger, 2022). Electron and energy transfer processes are essential in many applications, such as light-harvesting systems in organic photovoltaic cells and solar panels, photoluminescence and fluorescent labelling techniques, sensors and probes for detecting molecular interactions and electron transport in biological systems, including respiration and photosynthesis (DeVine et al, 2015;Kaushal et al, 2023;Wang and Lu, 2022;Chen et al, 2015).…”

“…The quantum yield represents the probability of a transfer event occurring and is a measure of the efficiency of the process (Sekar and Periasamy, 2003), (DeVine et al, 2015;Kubas, 2021;Roduner and Krüger, 2022). Electron and energy transfer processes are essential in many applications, such as light-harvesting systems in organic photovoltaic cells and solar panels, photoluminescence and fluorescent labelling techniques, sensors and probes for detecting molecular interactions and electron transport in biological systems, including respiration and photosynthesis (DeVine et al, 2015;Kaushal et al, 2023;Wang and Lu, 2022;Chen et al, 2015). Therefore, understanding and controlling electron and energy transfer processes have led to numerous technological advancements and continue to be areas of active research in chemistry, physics, and biology.…”