| ABSTRACT |
Natural dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) offer a sustainable alternative for solar energy harvesting but are often limited by narrow absorption spectra and low interaction with titanium dioxide, TiO2 photoanodes. This work investigates anthocyanin natural dyes extracted from Oxalis triangularis and Morus alba (mulberry), both abundant in Malaysia, as potential photosensitizers for DSSCs. Dyes were extracted using acetone, ethanol, and distilled water, and characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Absorption peaks were observed between 400 to 650 nm. The lowest optical band gap (1.83 eV) was recorded for Oxalis triangularis extracted with distilled water, while the highest band gap was found in Mulberry using the same solvent. Mulberry dye extracted with acetone yielded the highest power conversion efficiency (0.2498%), with a short-circuit current density of 0.0518 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 0.034 V, and an optical gap of 2.34 eV. The Oxalis triangularis extract in distilled water showed moderate performance, with reduced dye adsorption indicated by lighter photoanode coloration. Co-sensitization with mulberry improved light absorption and enhanced efficiency to 0.023%. Results indicate that Oxalis triangularis has strong potential as a green, locally sourced dye sensitizer for enhancing DSSC performance. © COPYRIGHT SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
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