Comparative studies of the longan leaf pigment extraction as a photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells’ purpose

Abstract

© 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Renewable energy is the main key to production, long-term environmental sustainability, and safe and inexhaustible energy source. One of the interesting devices of renewable energy that has received considerable attention as an alternative technology is dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which is considered the third generation of solar cells. These solar cells can convert solar radiation into electric current by using natural pigments as sensitizers by using natural pigments in the regulation of solar energy, which is similar to the photosynthesis process of the plant. Thus, this study results recommend that the fresh longan extraction method (original) has the highest pigment extraction yields of chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, and carotenoids that were 88.055 ± 0.424 μg/ml, 26.178 ± 0.343 μg/ml, and 16.307 ± 0.564 μg/ml, respectively, and suitable for preparation as a photosensitizer for the DSSC production. Dye addition to semiconductor improves the basicity of titanium dioxide (TiO2), leading to enhanced dye adsorption and UV–vis spectroscopy measurements confirmed. Dye absorption range is 400–700 nm visible on a solar spectrum and significant adsorption onto the semiconductor surface. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis described that the extract encourages the formation of large crystals of the dye into the layers of TiO2. Therefore, the use of these extracts would increase efficiency and reduce production costs for the manufacture of DSSC.