Mucuna Pruriens as Photo-Sensitizer in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

Abstract

In dye sensitized solar (DSSC), the dye sensitizer plays important role in absorbing sunlight and transporting electrons into the conduction band of the semiconductor thus converting the solar energy into electric energy by photovoltaic effect. This study focus on the investigation made on the leaves and stem of Mucuna Pruriens extract as photosensitizers for dye sensitizer solar cell (DSSC). The DSSC was based on titanium dioxide nanopowder as the photoanode semiconductor material and potassium iodide solution as electrolyte. The pigment was extracted from dry leaves and stem of Mucuna Pruriens in water, ethanol and acetone. The photo absorption spectral of Mucuna Pruriens was investigated in cold and hot extraction media. Dye sensitized solar cell was fabricated using Michael Gratzel method. The cell was connected to a variable external load and exposed to illumination at 100mW/m2. As the load is varied, the short circuit current Isc and the corresponding open circuit voltage Voc were observed. An IV characteristics was plotted and the fill factor and efficiency were computed as 0.8 and 0.37% for Mucuna pruriens extracted in water, 0.88 and 1.16% for Mucuna pruriens extracted in ethanol, 0.93 and 2.08% for Mucuna pruriens extracted in acetone respectively. The pigment extracted in cold acetone has the best light absorption and efficiency. This study shows that Mucuna Pruriens has prospect as sensitizer in DSSC.