Long-term Stability of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Utilizing China Doll Leaf-derived Natural Dyes and Electron Dynamics at the TiO₂–dye Interface
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 15, No 1 (March 2026) pp. 286-295
Abstract
Evergreen glossy leaves of the China doll plant were selected as a natural source for the extraction of a photosensitizer. A scalable ethanol-assisted extraction strategy was employed, wherein controlled leaf powder loadings (0.5, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.5 g per 10 mL) enabled systematic tuning of the photosensitizer concentration. The extracted natural dye was characterized using UV–Visible and FTIR spectroscopy to confirm its optical absorption characteristics and functional groups relevant to photosensitization. When employed as a sensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cells, systematic variation of dye loading enabled optimization of device performance. Photovoltaic evaluation revealed a maximum power conversion efficiency of 2.04% with a fill factor of 0.707 for the 1 g per 10 mL ethanol extract, while SEM analysis confirmed a uniform photoanode morphology. The enhanced performance at the optimal dye concentration is attributed to improved light harvesting and charge transport, demonstrating the effectiveness of controlled natural dye loading for DSSC applications.
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Reference
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