Uses of new natural dye photosensitizers in fabrication of high potential dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)

In the present study, dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated by sensitizing TiO2 P25-based electrodes using a series of natural dye extracted from plant sources of Reseda luteola, Berberis integerrima, Panica granatum Pleniflora, Consolida orientalis, Reseda gredensis, Clemetis orientalis, Adonis flammea, Salvia sclarea, and Consolida ajacis. The optical properties of the natural dye extracts were investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy. The crystalline structure and morphological characteristic of TiO2 electrode were analyzed by XRD and SEM, respectively. Our findings showed that due to Delphinidin is the main pigment of C. ajacis and interaction between the hydroxyl groups of the Delphinidin and the TiO2 surface is very efficient, this sensitizer owns the best photovoltaic performance among the all natural dyes. Photoelectrochemical performance of the natural dyes based-DSSCs illustrated short-circuit photocurrent (Jsc) and open-circuit voltages (Voc) ranging from 0.004 to 0.68 mA and 0.37 to 0.64, respectively. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.