Stability study of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) based on Tamarillo Extract

Maria C. García^a, Diego Salamanca^a, Pablo Ortiz^a, Maria T. Cortés^b

^aChemical Engineering Department, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 Este 19A-40 Edificio Mario Laserna, Bogotá

^bDepartment of Chemistry, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 18A-12, Bogotá

International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics
Proceedings of International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics 2015 (HOPV15)

Roma, Italy, 2015 May 11th - 13th

Organizer: Filippo De Angelis

Poster, Pablo Ortiz, 362
Publication date: 5th February 2015

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are low cost photovoltaic devices which have been presented as an alternative to produce renewable and clean energy. Natural pigments used as sensitizers in these devices are economic and environmentally friendly but present unstable and low short-circuit photocurrents. In this work the juice of tamarillo (Solanum Betaceum Cav.), native fruit of Colombian Andean region, was extracted and chemical modified in order to improve its photo activity and performance. The effect of additions of HCl (pH dye 0.5; 1.0; 2.0), tartaric acid (0.1mM; 0.5mM; 1.0 mM) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS:dye 1:1; 1:2; 1:5 in volume) was investigated through UV-vis spectroscopy and chronoamperometric (CA) techniques. CA tests were performed under chopped light (1000 W/m²) and short circuit voltage during 1600 s. Results show that cells sensitized with the non-modified extract reaches maximum J_sc values of 0.7 mA/cm² at a natural pH of 3.0. HCl acidification increases this value up to 2.05 mA/cm² at pH of 0.5, meanwhile the use of tartaric acid as coadsorbate produces J_sc values between 1.4 and 1.6 mA/cm². Despite the relatively good photoactivity of tamarillo dye, CA stability tests indicate that in all cases a first photoresponse rise stage is followed by a rapid decrease. For instance, positive J_scvariations up to 200% with respect to initial value are observed for low pH dyes, decreasing to near zero current at the end of the test. Some plateau effect is reached through tartaric acid additions but is the TEOS modification that is able to reduce current variations to no more than +30% and -15% in the rise and decay stage respectively. Discussion about electron recombination phenomena and UV effects on dye degradation is presented and can be extended to other natural pigments.

Hug, H.; Bader, M.; Mair, P. and Glatzel, T. Biophotovoltaics: Natural pigments in dye-sensitized solar cells. Applied Energy, nº 115, pp. 216-225, 2014. Narayan, M. R. Review: Dye sensitized solar cells based on natural photosensitizers. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, nº 16, pp. 208-215, 2012. Chien, C. Y. and Hsu, B. D. Optimization of the dye-sensitized solar cell with anthocyanin as photosensitizer. Solar Energy, nº 98, pp. 203-211, 2013.

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