Malaysian Journal of Analytical
Sciences Vol 22 No 1 (2018): 95 - 106
DOI:
10.17576/mjas-2018-2201-12
CO-SENSITIZATION OF NATURAL SENSITIZERS EXTRACTED FROM RENGAS (Gluta spp.) AND MENGKULANG (Heritiera elata) WOOD WITH RUTHENIUM DYE (N719) TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS
(Ko-Pemekaan
Pemeka Semulajadi Disari daripada Kayu Rengas (Gluta Spp.) dan Mengkulang (Heritiera
elata) dengan Pewarna Rutenium (N719) untuk Meningkatkan Prestasi Sel Solar
Terpeka Pewarna)
1Solar
Energy Research Institute (SERI),
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM
Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
2 Faculty of Forestry,
Universiti Putra
Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
3 Department of Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of
Engineering,
Tokyo University
of Science, 162-0826, Japan
*Corresponding author: sheekeen@ukm.edu.my
Received: 12
April 2017; Accepted: 1 September 2017
Abstract
In this study, photovoltaic
performance was improved when two natural sensitizers, namely, rengas (Gluta spp.) and mengkulang (Heritiera elata), were mixed with
ruthenium (N719) sensitizer. Five different ratios were prepared and their
performances were compared with individual sensitizers. The components of the
sensitizers were analyzed via ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The band gap values and
the highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO)
levels were calculated using data obtained from photoluminescence analysis and
cyclic voltammetry. The mengkulang: N719
(80%:20%) sensitizer exhibits the highest conversion efficiency (ŋ), which is 0.58% with an open circuit
voltage (Voc) of 0.63 V, a
short circuit photocurrent density (Jsc)
of 2.1 mA/cm2, and a fill factor (ff) of 0.44. By contrast, the individual mengkulang sensitizer
presents a poor conversion efficiency (ŋ)
of 0.16%.
Keywords: natural
sensitizer, mixed sensitizer, band gap, HOMO–LUMO level
Abstrak
Dalam kajian ini, prestasi fotovoltik telah bertambah baik apabila dua pemeka
yang semula jadi, iaitu, rengas (Gluta
spp.) dan mengkulang (Heritiera elata),
telah di campur dengan pemeka rutenium (N719). Lima nisbah yang berbeza telah
disediakan dan prestasi mereka dibandingkan dengan pemeka individu. Komponen pemeka
dianalisis melalui spektrofotometri ultralembayung cahaya nampak dan spektroskopi
inframerah transformasi Fourier. Nilai jurang jalur dan aras orbit molekul
tertinggi yang diduduki - orbit molekul terendah yang diduduki (HOMO-LUMO)
dikira menggunakan data yang diperolehi daripada analisis kefotopendarcahayaan dan voltammetri
berkitar. Pemeka mengkulang:N719 (80%: 20%) mempamerkan kecekapan penukaran tertinggi
(ŋ), iaitu 0.58% dengan voltan litar
terbuka (Voc) 0.63 V, kepadatan
fotoarus litar pintas (Jsc)
sebanyak 2.1 mA/cm2 dan faktor isi (ff) daripada 0.44. Sebaliknya, pemeka individu mengkulang memberikan
kecekapan penukaran terendah (ŋ)
0.16%.
Kata kunci: pemeka semula jadi, pemeka campuran, jurang jalur,
aras HOMO-LUMO
References
1.
Hua,
Y., Chang, S., Wang, H., Huang, D., Zhao, J., Chen, T. and Zhu, X. (2013). New phenothiazine-based
dyes for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells: Positioning effect of a donor
group on the cell performance. Journal of Power Sources, 243: 253-259.
2.
Chang,
J., Lee, C., Kumar, D., Chen, P., Lin, L., Thomas, K. R. J. and Ho, K. (2013).
Co-sensitization promoted light harvesting for organic dye-sensitized solar
cells using unsymmetrical squaraine dye and novel. Journal of Power Sources,
240: 779-785.
3.
Namuangruk, S., Fukuda, R., Ehara, M., Meeprasert, J.,
Khanasa, T., Morada, S., Kaewin, T., Jungsuttiwong, S., Sudyoadsuk, T. and Promarak,
V. (2012). D–D− π–A-Type organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells with a
potential for direct electron injection and a high extinction coefficient:
synthesis, characterization, and theoretical investigation. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116(49): 25653-25663.
4.
Pei,
K., Wu, Y., Islam, A., Zhu, S., Han, L., Geng,
Z. and Zhu, W. (2014). Dye-sensitized solar cells based on quinoxaline dyes:
effect of π – linker on absorption,
energy levels, and photovoltaic performances, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 118(30): 16552-16561.
5.
Hamadanian,
M., Jabbari, V. and Gravand, A. (2012). Materials science in semiconductor
processing dependence of energy conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar
cells on the annealing temperature of TiO2 nanoparticles. Materials
Science in Semiconductor Processing,
15(4): 371-379.
6.
Lee,
J. P., Yoo, B., Suresh, T., Kang, M. S., Vital, R. and Kim, K. J. (2009). Novel
silane-substituted benzimidazolium iodide as gel electrolyte for dye-sensitized
solar cells. Electrochimica Acta, 54(18): 4365-4370.
7.
Torchani,
A., Saadaoui, S., Gharbi, R. and Fathallah, M. (2015). Sensitized solar cells
based on natural dyes. Current Applied Physics, 15(3): 307-312.
8.
Ludin,
N. A., Al-Alwani Mahmoud, A. M., Bakar
Mohamad, A., Kadhum, A. A. H., Sopian, K. and Abdul Karim, N. S. (2014). Review
on the development of natural dye photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar
cells. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 31: 386-396.
9.
Gong,
J., Liang, J. and Sumathy, K. (2012). Review on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs):
Fundamental concepts and novel materials. Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(8), 5848-5860.
10.
Polo,
A. S., Itokazu, M. K. and Murakami Iha, N. Y. (2004). Metal complex sensitizers
in dye-sensitized solar cells. Coordination Chemistry Reviews,
248(13-14), 1343-1361.
11.
Richhariya,
G., Kumar, A., Tekasakul, P. and Gupta, B. (2017). Natural dyes for
dye-sensitized solar cell: A review. Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 69:
705-718.
12.
Hamadanian,
M., Safaei-Ghomi, J., Hosseinpour, M., Masoomi, R. and Jabbari, V. (2014). Uses
of new natural dye photosensitizers in fabrication of high potential
dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Materials Science in Semiconductor
Processing, 27: 733-739.
13.
Koyama,
Y., Miki, T., Wang, X. F. and Nagae, H. (2009). Dye-sensitized solar cells
based on the principles and materials of photosynthesis: Mechanisms of
suppression and enhancement of photocurrent and conversion efficiency. International
Journal of Molecular Sciences, 10(11): 4575-4622.
14.
Kalyanasundaram,
K. and Graetzel, M. (2010). Artificial photosynthesis: Biomimetic approaches to
solar energy conversion and storage. Current Opinion in Biotechnology,
21(3): 298-310.
15.
Shahid,
M., Shahid-Ul-Islam and Mohammad, F. (2013). Recent advancements in natural dye
applications: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 53: 310-331.
16.
Hao,
S., Wu, J., Huang, Y. and Lin, J. (2006). Natural dyes as photosensitizers for
dye-sensitized solar cell. Solar Energy, 80(2): 209-216.
17.
Nazeeruddin, M. K., Péchy, P., Renouard, T., Zakeeruddin, S. M.,
Humphry-Baker, R., Comte, P., Liska, P., Cevey, L., Costa, E., Shklover, V. and
Spiccia, L. (2001). Engineering of efficient panchromatic sensitizers for
nanocrystalline TiO2-based solar cells. Journal of the American Chemical
Society, 123(8): 1613-1624.
18.
Nwanya,
A. C., Ezema, F. I. and Ejikeme, P. M. (2011). Dyed sensitized solar cells: A
technically and economically alternative concept to p-n junction photovoltaic
devices. International Journal of the Physical Sciences, 6(22): 5190-5201.
19.
Ahn, J., Lee, K.C., Kim, D., Lee, C., Lee, S., Cho, D.W.,
Kyung, S. and Im, C. (2013). Synthesis of novel ruthenium dyes with thiophene
or thienothiophene substituted terpyridyl ligands and their characterization. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, 581(1): 45-51.
20.
Zhang,
J., Yu, C., Wang, L., Li, Y., Ren, Y. and Shum, K. (2014). Energy barrier at
the N719-dye/CsSnI3 interface for photogenerated holes in
dye-sensitized solar cells. Scientific Reports, 4: 6954.
21.
Lim, A., Manaf, N., Tennakoon, K., Chandrakanthi, R. L. N.,
Lim, L. B. L., Bandara, J. M. R. and Ekanayake, P. (2015). Higher performance
of DSSC with dyes from Cladophora sp.
as mixed co-sensitizer through synergistic effect. Journal of Biophysics: 1-8.
22.
Galoppini,
E. (2004). Linkers for anchoring sensitizers to semiconductor nanoparticles. Coordination
Chemistry Reviews, 248(13-14): 1283-1297.
23.
Kumara,
N. T. R. N., Ekanayake, P., Lim, A., Iskandar, M. and Ming, L. C. (2013). Study
of the enhancement of cell performance of dye sensitized solar cells sensitized
with Nephelium lappaceum (F: Sapindaceae). Journal of Solar
Energy Engineering, 135: 031014.
24.
Leonat,
L., Sbârcea, G. and Bran̂zoi, I. V. (2013). Cyclic voltammetry for energy
levels estimation of organic materials. UPB Scientific Bulletin, Series B:
Chemistry and Materials Science, 75: 111-118.
25.
Kumara,
N. T. R. N., Ekanayake, P., Lim, A., Liew, L. Y. C., Iskandar, M., Ming, L. C.
and Senadeera, G. K. R. (2013). Layered co-sensitization for enhancement of
conversion efficiency of natural dye sensitized solar cells. Journal of
Alloys and Compounds, 581: 186-191.
26.
Ooyama,
Y. and Harima, Y. (2012). Photophysical and electrochemical properties, and
molecular structures of organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells. ChemPhysChem,
13(18): 4032-4080.