Advance environment successive key for solar

energy conversion and storage using ThionineGlucose- CTAB in Photogalvanic cell system
Sushil Kumar Yadav
Department of Chemistry,
Govt. Dungar College,
Bikaner, Raj., Ind
E-mail-suashil@gmail.com
reported the improvement of the photogalvanic cell for solar
energy conversion and storage using Rose BengalOxalic
15
Abstract:- The Thionine is used as photosensitizer, Glucose as
Acid Tween-80 System and Yadav et al reported use of
reductant and CTAB as surfactant for the enhancement of the
Rose Extract in photogalvanic cell for solar energy conversion
conversion efficiency and storage capacity of photogalvanic cell
and storage. Present work is the effort to observe the
for its commercial viability. The observed value of photopotential
photochemical study of photo galvanic cell containing
and photocurrent generated by this cell were 554 mV and 145 A,
Thionine- Glucose- CTAB system for solar energy conversion
respectively. The observed power at power point was 47.3 W and
and storage.
the conversion efficiency was 0.454 %. The fill factor

0.488 was experimentally determined at the power point of the

cell. The photogalvanic cell can be used in dark for 53 min.,
showing the storage capacity of the cell against charging time was
170 min. The current voltage (iV) characteristic of the cell is also
studied and a mechanism for the generation of photocurrent is
proposed.
Keywords- CTAB, Conversion efficiency, Glucose, Thionine,
Storage capacity.
.

I.

Introduction

Energy is the basis of human life. The quality of human life

depends on the availability of energy. Accordingly, renewable
energy resources are attracting a great deal of attention and
solar energy will be one of the most promising future energy
resources. The photo effects in electrochemical systems were
1, 2
3,4
first reported by Becquerel
in 1839. Ameta et al reported
use of toluidine blue nitroloacetic acid (TB-NTA) system in
photogalvanic cell for solar energy conversion and also
reported the use of micelles in photogalvanic cell for solar
energy conversion and storage in Azur A-Glucose system. Jana
5
and Bhowmik reported enhancement in the power output of a
6
solar cell consisting of mixed dyes. Hara et al investigated
design of new coumarin dyes having thiophene moieties for
7
highly efficient organic dye-sensitized solar cells. Ameta et al
reported use of Bromophenol-EDTA system and FluorosceinEDTA system for solar energy conversion and storage. Yadav
8-11
et al
reported use of Bismarck Brown-Ascorbic Acid
system, Bismarck Brown-Glucose system , Bismarck BrownEDTA
system,
Thionine-EDTA-CTAB
system
in
photogalvanic cell for solar energy conversion and storage.
12,13
Chandra
explored the role

of Ponceau-S-KI and Ponceau-S-Glucose for Generation of electrical

14
energy in photogalvanic Cell. Mahmouda et al

2.
A glass tube of H-shape was used containing known amount
of the solutions of the Thionine (LOBA) as photosensitizer,
Glucose (S.D.Fine) as reductant, CTAB (LOBA) as surfactant
and sodium hydroxide (S.D.Fine) in the present work. The
total volume of the mixture was always kept 25.0 ml making
up by doubly distilled water. All the solutions were kept in
amber colored containers to protect them from sunlight.
Platinum electrodes of different size were dipped in one limb
having a window and a saturated calomel electrode (SCE)
were immersed in another limb of the H-tube. The terminals
of the electrode were connected to a digital pH meter
(Systronics model-802). Initially, the circuit is kept open and
cell is placed in dark till it attains a stable potential (dark
potential). Then the Pt electrode is exposed to light radiations
emitted from 200 W tungsten lamp (Philips) as light source. A
water filter is put between cell and lamp to cut off infra-red
radiation with the aim of curbing heating effect of cell, which
otherwise may adversely affect cell leading to lower
performance. On illumination, the photopotential and
photocurrent generated by the system was measured with the help
of the digital pH meter and microammeter, respectively. The
current voltage characteristics of photogalvanic cell have been
studied by applying an external load with the help of a carbon pot
(log 470 K) connected in the circuit through a key to have close
circuit and open circuit device. The experimental set-up of
photogalvanic cell is shown in Figure-1.

3.Results and discussion

3.1 Effect of variation of Glucose (reductant)
concentration on the system

The effect of variation of Glucose concentration on the

photopotential and photocurrent of system is shown in Figure
2. It was observed that with the increase in concentration of
the Glucose (reductant), the photopotential was found to
increase till it reaches a maximum value. On further increase
in concentration of reductant, a decrease in the electrical
output of the cell was observed. The fall in power output was
also resulted with decrease in concentration of reductant due
to less number of molecules available for electron donation to
the dye.

3.2 Effect of variation of Thionine

mechanism has also been suggested for the generation of

photocurrent in the photogalvanic cells, which is as follows:
Illuminated Chamber
*

Thionine
Thionine
The excited dye molecules accept an electron from
reductant and get converted into semi or leuco form of
dye,and the reductant gets converted into its oxidized form.
*
+
Thionine + R (Glucose)
Thionine (semi or leuco) + R

At Platinum Electrode
The semi or leuco form of dye molecules loses an electron and

is converted into an original dye

molecule Thionine

Thionine + e

Dark Chamber
(photosensitizer) concentration on the system
The effect of variation of Thionine concentration on
photopotential, photocurrent and power are shown in Figure 3.
With the increase in concentration of the Thionine
(photosensitizer) in present system, the photopotential and
photocurrent were found to increase until it reaches a
maximum value. On further increase in concentration of
photosensitizer a decrease in electrical output of the cell was
found. At lower concentration range of photosensitizer, there
are a limited number of photosensitizer molecules to absorb
the major portion of the light in the path and a fewer number
of electrons reach to the platinum electrode.

3.3 Effect of variation of CTAB (surfactant)

concentration on the system

The effect of surfactant concentration was investigated in the
present system. It was observed that electrical output of the
cell was found to increase on increasing the concentration of
surfactant reaching a maximum value. On further increase in
the concentration, a fall in photopotential, photocurrent and
power of the photogalvanic cell was observed. The results are
shown in Figure 4. CTAB (Surfactant) play a vital role to
solubilize the system by forming high molecular weight
aggregates or micelles in dilute solution.

Dye molecules accept an electron from the electrode

and get converted into semi or leuco form.
Thionine + e Thionine (semi or leuco)

Finally, leuco/semi form of dye and oxidized form of

reductant combine to give original dye and reductant
molecules and the cycle goes on:
+
Thionine + R Thionine + R

5. Conclusion
Photovoltaic cells are widely used for solar energy conversion
but owing to their lack of storage capacity, the photogalvanic
cells have emerged as preferred research field as they have
the added advantage of inherent storage capacity. The use of
Thionine as photosensitizer, Glucose as reductant in the
presence of CTAB as surfactant has not only enhanced the
electrical output but also increased the conversion efficiency
and storage capacity of photogalvanic cells. Also, exhaustive
efforts still have the scope to enhance the electrical output as
well as storage capacity of the photogalvanic cells along with
reduction in their cost to attain commercial viability.

6. Acknowledgements

3.4 Current-Voltage (i-V) Characteristics,

Conversion Efficiency and performance of the Cell
The open-circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current (isc) of
the photogalvanic cell were measured by means of a digital
multimeter (keeping the circuit open) and a microammeter
(keeping the circuit closed), respectively. The current and
potential between two extreme values (Voc and isc) were recorded
with the assistance of a carbon pot (linear 470 K) that was
connected in the circuit of the multimeter and through which an
external load was applied. The iV characteristics of the cell
containing Thionine- Glucose -CTAB System are shown in
Figure 5. The curve for the cell deviates from its ideal regular
rectangular shape. A point in the iV curve, called the power
point (pp), was determined where the product of photocurrent and
photopotential is maximum. The potential and the current at the
power point are represented by Vpp and i pp, respectively. With
the help of the (iV) curve, the Fill Factor and Conversion
Efficiency of the cell are found to be 0.488%, and 0.454 %,
respectively, using the formulae:

4. Mechanism
On the basis of observed micellar effect on photogalvanics, a

Where Thionine, Thionine , R and R are Thionine, its semi

or leuco form, reductant and its oxidized form, respectively.

The Authors is grateful to U.G.C., New Delhi for financial

assistances and Principal, Govt. Dungar College, Bikaner
(RAJ.) for providing the necessary laboratory facilities

7.References:
1.

Becquerel E, Studies of the effect of actinic radiation

of sunlight by means of electric currents, C

.R. Acad. Sci. Paris., 9, 145159,1839a.

2. Becquerel E, on electric effects under the influence
of solar radiation, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 9, 561,
1839b.
3. Ameta SC, Ameta R, Seth S, Dubey TD, Studies in
the use of toluidine bluenitrilotriacetic acid (TBNTA) system in photogalvanic cell for solar energy
conversion, Afinidad XLV, 264266,1988.
4. Ameta SC, Khamesare S, Ameta R, Bala M, Use of
micelles in photogalvanic cell for solar energy
conversion and storage: Azur-A-Glucose system,

Int. J. Energy Res., 14, 163 167,1990.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Jana AK, Bhowmik BB, Enhancement in power

output of solar cells consisting of mixed dyes, J.
Photochem. Photobiol., 122A 53,1999.
Hara K, Kurashige M, Dan-oh Y, Kasada C, Shinpo
A, Suga S, Sayama K , Arakawa H, Design of new
coumarin dyes having thiophene moieties for highly
efficient organic dye- sensitized solar cells, New J.
Chem., 27,783785,2003.
Ameta SC, Punjabi PB, Vardia J, Madhwani S,
Chaudhary S, Use of Bromophenol RedEDTA
system for generation of electricity in a
photogalvanic cell, J. Power Sources, 159, 747751,
2006.
Yadav S, Yadav RD, Singh G, Use of Dyes in
Photogalvanic cell for solar energy conversion and
storage: Bismarck Brown and Ascorbic Acid
System, Int. J. Chem. Sci., 6(4), 1960-1966, 2008.
Yadav S, Singh G, Yadav RD, Use of Bismarck

BrownGlucose system for generation of Electricity

in a Photogalvanic cell, Int. J. Pure and App. Chem.,
5(2), 113-117, 2010.
10. Yadav S, Sharma S, Gupta S, Tak R, Photogalvanic
solar conversion and storage by using Bismarck
Brown as photosensitizer and EDTA as reductant,
Int. J. Bus. Eng. Res, 3, 42-45, 2010.
11. Yadav S, Singh G, Yadav RD, Photogalvanic solar
conversion and storage by using Thionine as
photosensitizer and EDTA as reductant in the
presence of CTAB as surfactant, Afinidad, LXVII,
550, 473-477, 2010.
12. Chandra M, Role of Ponceau-S-KI for Generation
of Electrical Energy in photogalvanic Cell, Ind. J.
Sci.,2(1),31-36,2013
13. Chandra M, Role of Ponceau-S-Glucose for
Generation of Electrical Energy in Photogalvanic
Cell, Ind. J. Sci.,2(3),49-52,2013.
14. Mahmouda SA, Mohameda BS, El-Tabeia AS,
Hegazya MA, Betihaa MA, Killab HM, Heikala EK,
KHalila SA, Dohiuma M, Hosney SB, Improvement
of the photogalvanic cell for solar energy conversion
and storage: Rose BengalOxalic Acid -Tween 80
System, Energy Procedia, 46, 227 236, 2014.
15. Yadav SK, Sharma S, Advance environment
successive key for solar energy conversion and
storage using natural dye (Rose Extract) in
Photogalvanic cell system, Cross Section, 1(2), 3137, 2014.