New Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Obtained from Extracted Bracts of Bougainvillea Glabra and Spectabilis Betalain Pigments by Different Purification Processes

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Angel Ramon Hernandez-Martinez¹  Miriam Estevez¹  Susana Vargas¹  Fracisco Quintanilla² 

[1] Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001, CP 76230, Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico; E-Mails:;Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Valle de México, Campus Querétaro, Boulevard Villas del Mesón No. 1000, CP 76230, Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico; E-Mail:

关键词: dye-sensitized solar cell;    betalain;    natural dyes;    solar energy;    dip coating;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms12095565

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The performance of a new dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based in a natural dye extracted from the Bougainvillea spectabilis’ bracts, is reported. The performance of this solar cell was compared with cells prepared using extract of the Bougainvillea glabra and mixture of both extracts; in both cases the pigments were betalains, obtained from Reddish-purple extract. These dyes were purified to different extents and used for the construction of solar cells that were electrically characterized. The materials were characterized using FTIR and UV-Vis. Solar cells were assembled using TiO₂ thin film on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass; a mesoporous film was sensitized with the Bougainvillea extracts. The obtained solar energy conversion efficiency was of 0.48% with a current density J_SC of 2.29 mA/cm² using an irradiation of 100 mW/cm² at 25 °C.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.