Abstract
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•For low-cost DSSCs, expansive platinum material was replaced with TiO2 nanocomposites.•Organic dyes adsorbed to increase the system's electric fields, resulting in an increased load time.•DSSCs were made after a nano TiO2 film was deposited.•The cells were subjected to electrical characterization.
At present, intensive research on the integration of natural pigments has been seen to provide an alternative to ruthenium dye as a photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Hence, this research work is the first of its kind to investigate how pH affects the stability of anthocyanin pigments derived from the ripe fruits of Malabar spinach (Basella alba) as a photosensitizer and develop a platinum-free dye-sensitized solar cell by using aluminum foil coated with activated carbon as a counter electrode. Natural dyes extracted from Malabar spinach fruits were used to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells. The primary pigments that sensitize the semiconductor TiO2 film have been identified as anthocyanins. Anthocyanin is a water-soluble molecule and is one of the natural pigments most extensively studied due to its unique properties. This pigment is highly pH-dependent. Therefore, it varies in its appearance according to the pH value of the solution. Furthermore, the best light-to-electricity conversion efficiency was observed at pH 9, with an efficiency of 0.1021%, an electric current of 0.0682 mA, a voltage of 0.4877 V, and a power density of 0.0227 mW/cm2. As a result, the absorbance property of the natural organic dye is optimized. Thus, this research study successfully optimized the performance of the anthocyanin pigment from the fruit of Malabar spinach by investigating the dye extract at various pH conditions and producing a platinum-free dye-sensitized solar cell.