Photovoltaic cells based on the use of natural pigments: Phycoerythrin from red-antarctic algae as sensitizers for DSSC
- PDF / 1,089,693 Bytes
- 6 Pages / 432 x 648 pts Page_size
- 1 Downloads / 203 Views
MRS Advances © 2018 Materials Research Society DOI: 10.1557/adv.2018.533
Photovoltaic cells based on the use of natural pigments: Phycoerythrin from red-antarctic algae as sensitizers for DSSC Paula Enciso1, Michael Woerner2 and María Fernanda Cerdá1,* 1 Laboratorio de Biomateriales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República. Igua 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay 2 Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
DSSC assembled with purified R-phycoerythrin show acceptable efficiency conversion values, especially when extracted from Palmaria decipiens. They showed up to 0.12 % conversion efficiency values. Adsorption of the protein onto the electrode surface plays a relevant role in DSSC performance impacting on the performance. The use of dyes easily obtained in a place as Antarctica is an alternative to explore to solve the energy issue.
INTRODUCTION Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) constitute an alternative to conventional photovoltaic-silicon based cells, with 12 % conversion efficiency [1-4]. Since the publication of the first high-efficiency DSSC in 1991 they had an explosive growth. DSSC are based on the use of coloured dyes as photosensitizers capable of harvesting the light in the visible range and lead to a flow of electrons [5-6]. They contain a nanoporous oxide layer with dyes attached to the surface. When photo-excitation of the pigment takes place, injection of an electron into the conduction band of the oxide occurs. The dye is then restored by the electron donation from the electrolyte, where a redox system such as the iodide/triiodide couple is contained. Iodide is finally regenerated by the reduction of triiodide at the counter electrode, and the circuit is completed through an electron migration at the external load. Natural dyes-based-cells showed efficiencies values up to 2 %, based on the use of dyes extracted from flowers, leaves and fruits. Anthocyanins, chlorophyll, xanthophylls and flavonoids are some examples of compounds used to harvest the light [7-8]. More particularly, the search of alternative and clean sources of energy is relevant at the Antarctic area. Here, Scientific Bases receive fuel very sporadically. Big ships navigate to the zone, carrying supplies to allow human survival especially at winter when Bases could be isolated. DSSC constitute an alternative to partially solve the
Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. The Librarian-Seeley Historical Library, on 11 Oct 2018 at 06:00:11, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2018.533
energy needs in Antarctica. They can be assembled inside the buildings, as photovoltaic windows or even inside the room, and protected from inclement weather and low temperatures. They also work even in low-light conditions, under cloudy skies and nondirect sunlight, whereas traditional designs would suffer a cut-out at some lower limit of illumination. In previous works, we evaluated the use of the blue phycocyanin from Spirulina p
Data Loading...
