Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Fabricated Using Natural Dyes from Traditional Indonesian Plant as Sanitizers

Abstract

This study aims to utilize various natural dye extracts from traditional Indonesian plants to be applied as sensitizers to DSSC. The dye extract is derived from the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa Linn), henna tree (Lawsonia inermis L.) and pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius). TiO2 nanoparticles was used as semiconductor material for DSSC as they have a good crystallization structure and a wide surface area. The results showed that the DSSC using turmeric extraction produced a maximum power of 2.53x10-3 mW / cm-2 with an efficiency level of 0.04%. While the henna tree extract produced a power of 1.27x10-2 mW / cm-2 with an efficiency level of 0.25% and pandan extract produced a power of 4.01x10-2 mW / cm-2 with an efficiency of 0.8%. Thus the dye extract from pandan is the best sensitizer that can be applied to the DSSC.