Toward sustainability: solar cells sensitized by natural extracts

摘要

The present work reports the use of anthocyanins extracted from mulberry (Morus Alba L.), raspberry (Rubus Idaeus L.) and blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells. The conversion efficiency of these devices is dependent on the extracts employed and can be rationalized in terms of their composition and spectral properties. Solar cells sensitized by the mulberry extract showed the highest efficiency among the fruits investigated. Moreover, a 16 cm2 active area solar cell with the mulberry extract has presented fair good efficiency of conversion for natural dye-based solar cells, besides stability over twenty weeks, showing perspectives for developing these low cost devices with a commercial viability.