Carminic acid extracted from cochineal insect as photosensitizer for dye‐sensitized solar cells

Abstract

In an attempt to investigate influence of the utilization of organic dyes on photovoltaic performance of low-cost dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), carminic acid (CA) obtained from cochineal insect was employed as photosensitizer to fabricate DSSCs. To recognize light absorption behavior of the CA, UV-Vis spectroscopy was taken. The CA comprises noticeable spectrum of solar radiation, 430 to 540 nm that makes it appropriate for use as a photosensitizer in DSSCs. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of the CA revealed the presence of carboxylic functionality, enabling good anchorage to the surface of TiO 2 . The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis manifests that the suppression of the electron recombination at the TiO 2 /CA/electrolyte interface was insufficient. Quantum chemical calculations of the CA dye were performed by using the density functional theory (DFT). The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level of the CA matched well for the injection of electron from the CA to the conduction band edge of TiO 2 . The achieved photo-conversion efficiency of a DSSC employing the CA photosensitizer was 1%, which was found to be much higher than that of several natural dyesbased DSSCs under a simulated solar light illumination of 100 mW/cm 2 .

Performance of dye-sensitized solar cells extracted dye from wood apple leaves

“…The obtained values of I SC , V OC , FF, and η compared to other DSSCs employing organic sensitizers [4][5][6][7][48][49][50][51][52][53]. The value of J SC for the cell sensitized with the wood apple leaves dye becomes better than DSSCs employing TiO 2 (18NR-T) sensitized by chlorophylls dye extracted from natural plants (spinach, grass jelly leaves, and broccoli) [49], DSSC employing PEDOT: PSS/PEG sensitized by anthocyanin extracted dye from banana flowers [51], and DSSCs employing TiO 2 sensitized by chlorophyll and anthocyanin extracted dyes from natural jatropha leaves and purple chrysanthemum, respectively [53].…”

“…However, the values of V OC and FF in this study are far from satisfactory, which causes lower efficiency. The V OC is associated with the difference between the energy level of the TiO 2 conduction band and the redox potential of the electrolyte, and charge recombination occurs at the interface of photoanode/electrolyte [4]. Therefore, they should also be considered to comprehend such a low value of V OC .…”

“…To investigate the influence of the utilization of organic dyes on the photovoltaic performance of low-cost DSSCs, carminic acid (CA) obtained from cochineal insect was employed as a photosensitizer and achieved 1.0% efficiency in preparing the film by spin coating of TiO 2 paste from P25 with pre-and post-treatment using titanium tetra isopropoxide [4]. The CA, papaya peel, and microalga Scenedesmus obliquus extract were tested as sensitizers and achieved efficiency of 0.228%, 0.093%, and 0.064%, respectively.…”

A Joint Theoretical and Experimental Study on a Tetrazole‐Anchored BODIPY‐Based Dye at the Surface of TiO2 for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Applications

“…[ 72 ] A relatively higher value of HOMO level of the present dye guarantees a larger value of driving force for dye generation. [ 68–71 ] Even though the difference between LUMO level and E c of TiO 2 is appreciable for the dye, J sc value stays behind that of other dyes. [ 68–71 ] This might be attributed to weak light absorption ability of the dye.…”

Providing Natural Organic Pigments with Excellent Tanning Capabilities: A Novel “One-Pot” Tanning–Dyeing Integration Strategy for Sustainable Leather Manufacturing

“…To gain more insights into the interactions between DCar and Al(III) responsible for the strengthening effect achieved, a complex between DCar and Al(III) (DCar-AL) was prepared and characterized. The FTIR spectra shown in Figure 6a illustrate that the absorption peaks at 3425 cm −1 (−OH stretching) and 1760 cm −1 (C�O stretching) for DCar slightly shifted to 3426 and 1762 cm −1 , respectively, after coordinating with Al(III), 41 and the absorption peak at 1220 cm −1 (anthraquinone −OH in-plane bending) shifted to 1149 cm −1 in the meantime. 34 The XPS spectra shown in Figure 6c,d Physical Properties of Crust Leather.…”