Extraction and Purification of Various Natural Dyes for the Optimization of Solar Cell Performance

Authors

  • Rita Akwolu Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria Nsukka, 410001 Nsukka, Nigeria
  • Kenechukwu P. Alor Department of Physics and Industrial Physics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 420110, Nigeria
  • Christian Ayogu Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Enugu
  • Paul Asogwa Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria Nsukka, 410001 Nsukka, Nigeria

Keywords:

Lawsoniainermis, Baphianitida, Anatase, Indigoferatinctoria

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been the subject of much research and growing attention in recent decades due to their comparably easy fabrication, low toxicity, easy preparation, and relatively low cost. The extraction, purification, and characterization of dyes from various plant sources for use for solar cell applications are investigated in this work. The dyes were applied on a TiO2 layer using a straightforward drop-casting approach. The anatase crystallite structure with a mesoporous shape was successfully deposited, as demonstrated by structural investigations utilizing XRD on the TiO2 layer. According to Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) investigations, pure cells had the longest electron lifetime and the lowest recombination resistance, which is responsible for the continuous electron transfer across the oxide layer over a greater distance and the improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE). I-V characterizations were used to estimate the photovoltaic parameters and the efficiencies of the devices, the overall best performance of η ~ 1.74 % was obtained from the cell fabricated with Lawsoniainermis dye extract.

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Published

2025-06-11