A Green Approach to Natural Dyes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Nurul Izzati Abdul Shukor,
Kah-Yoong Chan,
Gregory Soon How Thien,
Mian-En Yeoh,
Pei-Ling Low,
Nisha Kumari Devaraj,
Zi-Neng Ng,
Boon Kar Yap
Affiliations
Nurul Izzati Abdul Shukor
Centre for Advanced Devices and Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyberjaya 63100, Selangor, Malaysia
Kah-Yoong Chan
Centre for Advanced Devices and Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyberjaya 63100, Selangor, Malaysia
Gregory Soon How Thien
Centre for Advanced Devices and Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyberjaya 63100, Selangor, Malaysia
Mian-En Yeoh
Centre for Advanced Devices and Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyberjaya 63100, Selangor, Malaysia
Pei-Ling Low
Centre for Advanced Devices and Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyberjaya 63100, Selangor, Malaysia
Nisha Kumari Devaraj
Centre for Advanced Devices and Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyberjaya 63100, Selangor, Malaysia
Zi-Neng Ng
School of Electrical Engineering and Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia
Boon Kar Yap
Electronic and Communications Department, College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Solar cells are pivotal in harnessing renewable energy for a greener and more sustainable energy landscape. Nonetheless, eco-friendly materials for solar cells have not been as extensive as conventional counterparts, highlighting a significant area for further investigation in advancing sustainable energy technologies. This study investigated natural dyes from cost-effective and environmentally friendly blueberries and mulberries. These dyes were utilized as alternative sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Alongside the natural dyes, a green approach was adopted for the DSSC design, encompassing TiO2 photoanodes, eco-friendly electrolytes, and green counter-electrodes created from graphite pencils and candle soot. Consequently, the best-optimized dye sensitizer was mulberry, with an output power of 13.79 µW and 0.122 µW for outdoor and indoor environments, respectively. This study underscored the feasibility of integrating DSSCs with sensitizers derived from readily available food ingredients, potentially expanding their applications in educational kits and technology development initiatives.
