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Photovoltaic performance of Gracilaria corticata seaweed extract as sensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cell

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Abstract

Photovoltaic performance of a marine red seaweed Gracilaria corticata using acetone and methanol as extracting solvents was examined in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) integrated with TiO2 photoanode. The UV–vis absorption spectra and TLC analysis revealed the presence of natural photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, pheophytin, and xanthophylls. DSSC performance parameters, such as short-circuit current density (Jsc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc), were directly measured from each current–voltage (J–V) characteristic curve, while the remaining photovoltaic parameters such as maximum current density (Jmax), maximum voltage (Vmax), maximum power (Pmax), fill factor (FF), and overall cell conversion efficiency (η) were calculated from the respective J–V characteristic curve. It is peculiar to note that DSSCs in both solvents disclosed a reasonably fill factor (FF). However, DSSCs sensitized by acetone extract of G. corticata exhibited relatively high photovoltaic performance (Jsc 0.82 mA cm2, Voc of 702 mV, impressive FF (0.73) and an efficiency of 0.42%), which was twofold higher than the DSSCs sensitized by methanol extract (efficiency 0.18%). The results suggest the use of seaweed pigments as low cost, eco-friendly viable to alternate DSSC.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Scientific and Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, Government of India, for financial support under Teachers Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE) scheme Reference no. TAR/2018/000866.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine and Coastal Studies, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 625 021, India

    M. Anand, S. Padmapriya & K. Rangesh

  2. PG & Research Department of Physics, Sri Vidya Mandir Arts & Science College (Autonomous), Katteri, Uthangarai, Tamil Nadu, 636 902, India

    S. Suresh

  3. Nanomaterials & Solar Energy Conversion Lab, Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India

    S. Anandan & G. Ahalya

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  1. M. Anand
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Contributions

M. Anand and S. Anandan took part in conceptualization, M. Anand, G. Ahalya, S. Padmapriya involved in methodology, M. Anand, S. Suresh, S. Padmapriya took part in formal analysis and investigation, M. Anand, S. Suresh, S. Anandan involved in writing—original draft preparation; K. Rangesh involved in writing—review and editing; M. Anand and S. Anandan involved in funding acquisition; M. Anand and S. Anandan involved in supervision.

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Correspondence to M. Anand.

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Anand, M., Suresh, S., Anandan, S. et al. Photovoltaic performance of Gracilaria corticata seaweed extract as sensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cell. J Opt 52, 128–137 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12596-022-00921-0

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