Photosensitizing role of naturally occurring pigments in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC): Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Characterization

FRANCO M. CABRERIZO; MARÍA FERNANDA CERDÁ

Conferencia; 22nd TWAS LACREP Young Scientists Conference and 1st TYAN Regional Conference for Latin America and Caribbean Region: SCIENCE IN LATIN AMERICA: TODAY AND TOMORROW; 2019

TYAN - TWAS

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) technologyrepresents a valuable source for renewable energy production. Although with arather low conversion efficiency, the continuous improvement of theprice/performance ratio is making this technology more competitive than othersources of electrical power generation. To date, one of the major challenges isthe search of novel and low-cost photosensitizers, a key player in the overallphoto-conversion process. Natural dyes have shown to be an excellentalternative that still needs to be further explored. In this context, spectro-electrochemicalproperties and the role of several naturally occurring pigments in DSSC are discussedand presented herein.