Zn–Catharanthus roseus and Cu–Catharanthus roseus Complexes as Green Organometallic Photosensitizers for DSSC Applications
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The global energy crisis and climate change issues have driven the development of environmentally friendly renewable energy sources, one of which is the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) utilizing natural pigment-based photosensitizers. Catharanthus roseus (tapak dara) was selected due to its abundance of secondary metabolites and its potential to be modified into Zn and Cu nanoparticles to enhance stability and efficiency. In this study, tapak dara leaf extract was obtained using ethanol through ultrasonic extraction, then synthesized into Zn and Cu nanoparticles with Zn:Cu ratios of 0:4, 1:3, 2:2, 3:1, and 4:0 via green synthesis. The resulting nanoparticles were deposited onto TiO₂ electrodes, with Pt used as the counter electrode in the DSSC. The cells were tested under 9 mW halogen light. The results revealed that the Zn:Cu ratio influenced crystallite size, morphology, and solar cell efficiency. XRD characterization confirmed the formation of ZnO and Cu phases with crystallite sizes ranging from 9 to 40 nm, while SEM analysis showed nanometer-sized particles with a tendency to agglomerate. The highest efficiency was achieved at a 3:1 ratio, reaching 120 × 10⁻⁴ %, indicating that Zn/Cu–tapak dara nanoparticles hold strong potential as effective photosensitizers.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright and Licensing
For all articles published in Fullerene Journal of Chemistry, Authors retain some copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. In addition, the article may be reused and quoted provided that the original published version is cited. These conditions allow for maximum use and exposure of the work while ensuring the authors receive proper credit.
Authors are free to:
- Share - copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution - You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions - You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices: You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation. No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.