Vibrational and Electronic Spectra of Natural Dyes Constituents for Solar Cell Application: DFT and TDDFT Study

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Date

2015-09-09

Authors

Makuraza, Joseph
Pogrebnaya, Tatiana P.
Pogrebnoi, Alexander M.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Science Publishing Group

Abstract

Selected constituents of natural dyes, phenol, 1,2-benzoquinone, 1,4-benzoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone, and 9,10-anthraquinone have been studied theoretically using the density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. The vibrational and electronic spectra have been computed with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. It was found that 1,2-benzoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone, and 9,10-anthraquinone may satisfy some criteria to become photosensitizer in DSSCs; the absorption bands computed for molecules in vacuum appeared at 396, 348, and 326 nm, respectively. When computed for molecules in solutions using the polarized continuum model, the bands were red-shifted: 446 (1,2-benzoquinone in water), 355 (1,4-naphthoquinone in heptane), and 329 nm (9,10-anthraquinone in heptane). Our results have shown that 1,2-benzoquinone among the others would exhibit better photovoltaic properties in terms of light absorption and energy level alignment.

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Keywords

Electronic Spectra, Vibrational Spe, Geometrical Parameters, Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

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