COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CURCUMA LONGA AND BETA EXTRACTED DYE APPLIED ON DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS

Resumo

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) has shown advantages, as an alternative method to reduce the emission of polluting gases, and low production costs. Some natural dyes can be applied in DSSC, since they have photosensitive molecules, as flavonoids and terpenes that present in the composition chromophoric and auxochrome groups. These groups might absorb energy from the sun generating cells with different parameters, due to the chemical structure of the molecule. The aim of this paper is produce and characterize solar cells of TiO₂, with natural dyes extracted from Curcuma Longa and Beta, verifying which present better photochemical parameters. The characterization techniques employed were: UV - VIS Spectroscopy, Open Circuit Potential as a function of time (Voc), Photocronoamperometry (j-t), Current density curves as a function of potential (j-V) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicated that the cell produced with Curcuma Longa is less resistive to current flow and with higher coating under the surface of TiO₂, with photovoltaic parameters of j = 0.860 mA cm^-2; Voc = 0.535 V; FF = 0.560 and ? = 0.260%.