Synthesis of solar cells sensitized using natural photosynthetic pigments & study for the cell performance under different synthesis parameters

Abstract

In this study we used photosynthetic pigments extracted from spinach and purple cabbage for their potential application in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Pigments were extracted by dissolving small amounts of each one of these plant products in methanol and distilled water. The extraction was also done at two different temperatures (70° C and 80° C respectively). This was to assess for the solvent that promotes better extraction of the pigments. A parallel study was also carried out using a mixture of both these dyes in 1:1 ratio. Good absorption, about 60% to 80% was obtained for spinach pigments diluted in methanol in the visible range between 400-480nm, and between 9% to 15% for purple cabbage pigments in the wavelength range between 480-630 nm when extracted using distilled water at 80°C. In contrast, the diluted mixture in methanol shows good absorption of 20% and 32% for wavelengths in the range 400-480nm. Solar cells sensitized using these natural dyes were studied for their photovoltaic properties by measuring current-voltage behavior. Efficiencies ranging from 0.011% to 0.0719% were observed. Mixture of spinach & purple cabbage pigments extracted using methanol was found to have the highest efficiency of 0.0719%.