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Betalain and anthocyanin dye-sensitized solar cells

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Abstract

In the present work, the mechanism behind the functioning of the eco-friendly dye-sensitized solar cell was explored. Dye-sensitized solar cells were fabricated using natural dyes extracted from common pear (Opuntia dillenii) and red tamarind (Tamarindus indica), and 1:1 mixture. Betalain and anthocyanin were identified as the main pigments that sensitize the semiconductor TiO2 film. The best conversion efficiency of 0.47 % was achieved from betalain dyes and 0.14 % from anthocyanin dye-sensitized solar cell [under standard Air Mass 1.5 illumination (85 mW cm−2)]. The mixture of dye (1:1 mixture) adsorbed onto TiO2 exhibited an efficiency of 0.20 %. The light absorption behavior of extracted dyes was studied using ultraviolet–visible analysis. The influence of the binding nature of the dyes with TiO2 surface on the efficiency of the solar cells was analyzed through Fourier transform infra-red analysis. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to find out the internal charge transfer resistance of the cells. The device incident photon-to-current efficiency was obtained from 5 to 25 % for different natural dyes and found to coincide with the photocurrent–voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, 620 002, India

    Raja Ramamoorthy & Rayar Victor Williams

  2. Post Graduate and Research Department of Chemistry, Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Tiruchirappalli, 620 002, India

    Natarajan Radha

  3. Department of Physics, Cauvery College for Women, Tiruchirappalli, 620 018, India

    Govindaraj Maheswari

  4. Nanomaterials and Solar Energy Conversion Lab, Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, 620 015, India

    Sambandam Anandan & Subbaiah Manoharan

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  1. Raja Ramamoorthy
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  2. Natarajan Radha
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  3. Govindaraj Maheswari
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  4. Sambandam Anandan
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  5. Subbaiah Manoharan
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  6. Rayar Victor Williams
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Correspondence to Rayar Victor Williams.

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Ramamoorthy, R., Radha, N., Maheswari, G. et al. Betalain and anthocyanin dye-sensitized solar cells. J Appl Electrochem 46, 929–941 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-016-0974-9

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