Bio-Photovoltaic Conversion Device Made from Chitosan Nanofibers and Varieties of Natural Pigments

• Main Authors: Siriwat BOONCHAISRI, Niyom HONGSIT
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Walailak University 2014-01-01
• Series: Walailak Journal of Science and Technology
• Subjects: Dye-sensitized solarcells; nanofibers; chitosan; natural pigments
• Online Access: http://wjst.wu.ac.th/index.php/wjst/article/view/794

In this study, the natural pigments anthocyanin, beta carotene, chlorophyll, and curcumin, extracted from red cabbage, carrot, water hyacinth and turmeric, respectively, were used as sensitized dyes in a Bio-photovoltaic Conversion Device (BPV), and the energy conversion efficiencies (h) were compared. The photoelectrodes were designed to use various photoactive layers made of porous TiO2 or a new TiO2:nanofiber interface. The nanofibers were prepared by an electrospinning chitosan solution, a PVA solution (poly(vinylalcohol)), and their mixture at different conditions. Analysis from a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the formation and the density of nanofibers increase with increasing amount of PVA. The highest h was observed in solar cells which used anthocyanin extracted from red cabbage. When considering the photoactive layers made of TiO2:nanofibers prepared from the mixture between 1.2 % chitosan in acetic acid and 8 % PVA in aqueous solution at the ratio of 1:1. w/w ([1.2Chitosan]+[8PVA]), it raised the h up to 5.3 times higher than by the TiO2 alone. Therefore, the utilization of chitosan nanofibers together with the application of natural dyes has the potential to increase h of BPVs. doi:10.14456/WJST.2014.23