Browsing by Author "King'ondu, Cecil K."

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Natural dyes for solar cell application: uv-visible spectra and outdoor photovoltaic performance
(Research Journal in Engineering and Applied Sciences, 2014-09) Pamain, Adriano; Pogrebnaya, Tatiana P.; King'ondu, Cecil K.
Successful conversion of visible light into electrical output was achieved by using four locally available natural dyes as wide band gap semiconductor sensitizers in Dye-sensitized solar cells. Natural dyes extracted from Java plum (Syzigium cumin), Red cabbage (Brassica oleracea), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower, and Begonia rex leaves were employed as light-absorbing dyes anchored to nanostructured mesoporous TiO2 film photo anode. Simple procedures were employed in extracting natural dyes. The dye extracts were stored for four months prior to UV-vis spectra and photoelectrical measurements. The absorption spectra analyses for all extracts carried out in the wavelength range 350 to 800 nm, showed a wide and significant absorption spectrum in UV and visible regions. Photovoltaic parameters such as short-circuit current (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), power output (Pm), and energy conversion efficiency (η) were determined for the four dyes. Conversion efficiencies obtained from Java plum, Red cabbage; Hibiscus flower and Begonia rex were 0.098, 0.051, 081, and 0.094%, respectively. Efficiency of fabricated cells and cell characteristics were found to correlate with absorption spectra of dyes.