Performance of primrose willow ( Ludwigia peruviana) as a photosensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

Abstract

Natural dyes have been extracted from leaves (green) and flowers (yellow) of primrose willow (Ludwigia peruviana) and were used as a photosensitizer of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The result of this research showed that absorption peaks of leaf extract were located at 420nm and 665nm. Open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and power conversion efficiency of natural green materials were obtained at 580mV, 0.0067mA, and 0.52%, respectively. Bandgap, absorbance coefficient and field factor values were around 2.96eV and 1.87eV, 2.58k.m-1 and 1.63k.m-1 and 0.2196, respectively. However, absorption peak of flower extract was located at 450nm. Open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and power conversion efficiency of flowers were obtained at 466mV, 0.0089mA, and 0.488%, respectively. Bandgap, absorbance coefficient, and field factor values were discovered at 2.76eV, 2.41 k.m-1, 0.1722 respectively. To sum up, primrose willow has a potential as a source of DSSC photosensitizer. Its rapid growth will become a prospective source of natural dye.