Adsorption characteristics of gardenia yellow as natural photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells

Adsorption characteristics, electrochemical properties and photovoltaic efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells employing gardenia yellow as a natural photosensitizer were systematically investigated. Adsorption equilibrium and kinetic data were measured and fitted using adsorption isotherms and kinetic models. Electrochemical properties for electron harvesting and electron transport were evaluated based on incident photon to current conversion efficiency, intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy and intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy. The results showed that the conversion efficiency of the natural DSSC was highly dependent on the adsorption characteristics of the natural dye on mesoporous TiO2 thin films.

► Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of gardenia yellow as a sensitizer were investigated.
► Adsorption of gardenia yellow showed temperature and pH-dependent.
► The electrodynamic properties were studies by intensity modulated spectroscopic techniques.
► Photovoltaic efficiencies were dependent on the adsorption characteristics.