Dye-sensitized solar cells using purified squid ink nanoparticles coated on TiO₂ nanotubes/nanoparticles

Abstract

Purified squid ink was used as a natural dye in TiO 2 nanocomposite films for the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The squid ink extract was purified by the reaction over a proteolytic enzyme and coated onto composites of TiO 2 nanotubes/ nanoparticles. The resulting cells were compared with reference DSSCs in which N719 was used as a standard dye. Analysis revealed that the sub-500-nm eumelanine-based spherical nanoparticles were well adsorbed on the surface of the TiO 2 nanotubes/ nanoparticles, and the cells demonstrated efficiencies of 0.72 and 0.86%, respectively. The mechanisms over photosensitization induced by the purified ink particles are elucidated.

Natural melanin pigments and their interfaces with metal ions and oxides: emerging concepts and technologies

“…Purified natural melanin from squid ink and mussel-inspired synthetic polydopamine have been used as dyes in dye-sensitized solar cells. [103,116] Polydopamine/TiO 2 nanocomposites and plasmonic structures fabricated exploiting the reducing properties of polydopamine have been used for photocatalytic applications. [117][118][119] The biocompatibility and optical properties featured by TiO 2 have been used for self-cleaning, self-sterilization, and photolithography purposes [120,121] and also in fields such as cosmetics, where TiO 2 has been used as filler and UV-filter.…”

Morphological and Chemical Composition Characterization of Commercial Sepia Melanin

“…It was reported that the size diameter of spherical particles forming natural melanin varies in the range of 100 -200 nm [21,22,23]. Watt et al as well as Bothma found that the diameters of sepia melanin granules which are roughly spherical were 100 nm upwards [24,25]. The diameter of the aggregated spherical granules constituting sepia melanin was reported to be about 150 nm [26].…”

Deposition of organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cell by using matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation

“…23 This leads to that only a fraction of anchored melanin has properly positioned energy levels allowing for transfer of electrons to TiO 2 and holes to the electrolyte. The inability to reproduce the results of Lee et al, 11 seems to indicate that melanin may not be reliable for functioning as the photosensitizer of DSSC. FIG.…”

“…Lee et al has reported the use of Sepia melanin as the photosensitizer in DSSC. 11 With melanin nanoparticles extracted from squid ink with particle sizes of hundreds of nanometers and an immersion process, a DSSC efficiency of 0.72% was attained. Previously, we have reported the production of melanin nanoparticles with substantially smaller particle size through photofragmentation or magnetic stir of suspended melanin powder, 12 so the MNPs produced this way were adopted for this experiment.…”