Scrutinizing microalgae to extract dyes for applications in dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as a promising technology within the realm of photovoltaic energy conversion, predominantly relying on inorganic dyes to excite electrons for energy harvesting. Inorganic dyes, such as ruthenium polypyridyl complexes, have demonstrated impressive conversion efficiencies reaching approximately 11% [1]. However, the production of these dyes involves complex and costly processes and raises significant environmental concerns due to the potential release of heavy metals. This has spurred interest in identifying alternative dyes that are both cost-effective and environmentally benign. Despite the potential of natural dyes, their efficiency in DSSCs has been relatively low. For instance, natural dyes that are Chlorophyll (Chl) centric have achieved maximum efficiencies of around 2.5%, while those having carotenoid and phycobilin have reached about 1% or less [2].