THE USE OF LANTANA (Lantana camara) IN MAKING DYE SENSITIZED

SOLAR CELLS (DSSC)

ALYANA DENISE A. RAMIREZ

PROPONENT

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN

RESEARCH II

CALASIAO COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

MALONG ST., POBLACION WEST, CALASIAO, PANGASINAN

JULY 2019
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

In our present time, Energy demands are rising up very quickly and along with that,

also our natural resources are getting too low because of the Earth’s nonstop growing of

population. Many researchers and inventors have made so many innovations that could

help the entirety of the population in getting electricity in ways that could be complicated

in other’s minds and to also fight the Earth’s problems, one of the most of popular of those

innovations is the famous solar cells.

Solar cells are in fact very famous to use since it will make use of the sun’s

Ultraviolet (UV) rays to make energy which is in fact effective and can save so much

money when used in the long run, but these solar cells are too much of a high price for

almost every person to purchase. Most of these percentage whom use these technology are

companies and people who are far well off. Stable (economy wise) and rich. These solar

cells are also made use for solar energy powered lights which are mostly distributed to

those who are victims of geological happenings and calamities.

In the Philippines, the country is being directly hit by the sun’s beaming rays which

makes it to their advantage to make use of these types of technologies and as a citizen of

this country, the researcher thought of a way on how she can take advantage of modern

technology and writings and also on the power of solar cells to be made more affordable

and accessible.
 Lantana (Lantana camara) is a type of weed that grows in tropical countries with

hot climates such as the Philippines. It is common to find these plants on vacant lots, unused

or abandoned places and in areas which are not thoroughly maintained. These plants are

also said to be photosensitive which means it is sensitive to light and can absorb sunlight

quickly which as to why it can have a possibility on being good for the making solar cells.

It also contains metalloids (element that has properties that are intermediate between those

of metals and nonmetals), alkaloids (any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds of

plant origin which have pronounced physiological actions on humans), phenolics,

terpenoids and other minor compounds such as phytosterols, saponins, tannins,

phycobatannin and steroids which can also contribute to its possibility of being good on

being a good source of dye for dye sensitive solar cells (Yuan, Z & Hu,P.X., 2012). Other

than it being full of chemicals such as metalloids, it is also recently found out that it can be

used in Phytochemical treatment against termites. It is also used for healing wounds and

anti-mobility. Even though this plant is highly toxic and is considered as weed in so many

countries for it contains toxic alkaloids and lanthanides which can cause lead poisoning or

metal poisoning when accidentally intake by an individual.

The researcher decided to come up and do an investigation as to which this type of

weed will be used for making Dye-Sensitive Solar Cells for producing energy for its

chemical components which have a high percentage of Metals which can be toxic when

used in the wrong way. It would be better to rather make it’s toxic metal component to be

made for lessening the growing demands on electricity to try and make it lesser than just

kill it and leave it and not notice its capability of being a solution to electricity demand.
Statement of the Problem

The population’s demands on electricity are not getting lower, instead it is rather

spiking up faster than we could imagine. Most of the percentage where electricity is being

made is from fuel and burning coals which also results to deforestation which can

negatively affect everything, to the world’s temperature, the ozone layer and to the

biodiversity of ecosystems and living organisms. Even though, most of us humans are not

really aware of these arising issues because of our wrong doing, it would be greatly

experienced as the years go by. Everything is connected on what we do now to everything

that surrounds us just like a chain effect so if something goes wrong now, it would also

affect the things connected to it. Just this rising demand of electricity because of the Earth’s

unstopping growing of population can be one of the factors to make life living hard on the

next years

So, to alleviate this condition and the present state, the researcher aims to create a

Solar cell by using a weed more specifically known as, Lantana, in making these

technologies to assure that it is in fact accessible, eco-friendly, affordable and very

effective. More specifically, it is aimed to answer the following questions stated below:

1. How much energy can a Lantana dye sensitized solar cell acquire with it being

exposed under the sun for:

a. An hour;

b. Three (3) hours;

c. And Seven (7) hours.

 2. How long can it light up a bulb with it being exposed under the sun with times of:

a. An hour;

b. Three (3) hours;

c. And Seven (7) hours.

Hypothesis

This hypothesis will be tested at a given probability of 0.05.

1. How much energy can a Lantana dye sensitized solar cell acquire with it being

exposed under the sun for:

a. An hour;

b. Three (3) hours;

c. And Seven (7) hours.

2. How long can it light up a bulb with it being exposed under the sun with times

of:

a. An hour;

b. Three (3) hours;

c. And Seven (7) hours.

Significance of the Study

The researcher aims to make an eco-friendly, affordable, and effective Solar cell

made with Lantana as it’s dye component. The researcher also aims to know for how long

it will supply energy when exposed to the sun with different time exposures as mentioned

and how much energy it will supply with its respective time also. Other than the researcher
aiming for its quality, the researcher also aims to have people and organizations benefit

from this study which will be mentioned as follows:

Public

The public can benefit from this study if it will be proven for it can save a

lot of people money, it can be bought cheaply and it also can be made easily for it

can be accessible due it’s the dye content which is from a weed, more specifically

Lantana, and powdered metals and chemicals which are affordable compared to

other metals and chemicals. Under this category, the people whom are going to

benefit the most is the people who live in far places where modern society doesn’t

reach them and also the people who are victims of geological calamities such as

rains, flashfloods and earthquakes for they can use electricity just by using this solar

cell for to produce electricity.

Environment

Other than human beings having an advantage, the environment also have

benefits from this study if it will be proven. Deforestation contributes to a lot of

factors as to which it contributes to the Earth’s state right now. Electricity

demand ,in fact, actually contributes a large percentage to deforestation for burning

coal which comes from trees also has a high percentage on reaching the world’s

demands for the supply of electricity and coals come from trees. If the greeneries

of our Earth are being destroyed quickly, we can reduce that by using solar energy

but the present solar energy gadgets are not really that affordable for so many

people and that is why it will come to great help if this study will be proven.
 Government, Companies and Organizations

These groups of people who are bonded for the purpose of guiding the

country’s economy, earning money from various ways like selling and people who

are destined to help out people in need and the environment has actually the highest

percentage all over the world when it comes to consuming electricity. It can be very

helpful to them for it will cost them less and help out with the environment more

rather than using electricity which can permanently destroy our already dying

nature for if this study will be proven, an effective and cheap solar cell will be made

and hopefully be recognized

Scope and Limitations

This study aims to acquire knowledge on how much energy can a solar sell which

made use of Lantana can acquire within an hour, three (3) hours and seven (7) hours of

being exposed under the sun and in addition to that, the researcher also aims to find out

how long it will light a bulb up according to its time of exposure under the sun under an

hour, three hours, and seven hours. The use of Titanium Oxide and Acetic Acid will also

be used during the manufacturing of the solar cells in order to make one of the layers which

is responsible for transferring the acquired energy to the electrical circuit wires. A Volt-

Ohm-Meter (VOM) will be made of use in order to acquire the data on how much energy

was acquired when the solar cells were exposed under the sun with their respective times.

This study will be conducted within the time frame of August 2019 to October 2019. This

Investigatory Project will also be conducted in the JICA Laboratory on the month of

August.
Definition of Terms

The following terms and objects that will be made of use in the study were defined

as follows to avoid any confusions.

Acetic acid (CH3COOH). It is a synthetic carboxylic acid with antibacterial and

antifungal properties other than that, when it is diluted to a lower concentrations it is a nice

dip for dishes and also mixed in with soup based dishes. In this study, acetic acid will be

used to make a thin film to enhance the surface corrosion and is responsible for the

photovoltaic effect within the solar cell (Kempe, 2012).

Alkaloids. any of a class of naturally occurring organic nitrogen-containing bases.

Alkaloids have diverse and important physiological effects on humans and other animals.

Well-known alkaloids include morphine, strychnine, quinine, ephedrine, and nicotine.

These type of metal have also been found in Lantana through chemical screening.

(Brittanica Encyclopedia, 2019)

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC). is a low‐cost solar cell belonging to the group

of thin film solar cells. It is based on a semiconductor formed between a photo‐sensitized

anode and an electrolyte, a photoelectrochemical system. This is the product which is to be

achieved by the researcher with the use of the weed, glass slides, acid and the titanium

oxide. (N.A, 2019)

Lanthanides. It is a series of metals found in the f-block of the periodic table which

are commonly used for making products such as hybrid cars, superconductors, and

permanent magnets. This has also been found on the chemical screening of Lantana.
 Lantana (Lantana camara). Lantana is a gregarious, erect or half-climbing,

somewhat hairy aromatic shrub; when erect, usually 1 to 2 meters high and when scandent,

twice as high. Branches four-sided with recurved prickles. Leaves are elliptic, 5 to 9

centimeters long,3 inches long, pointed at the tip and rounded at the base and toothed in

the margins. Flowers are pink, orange, yellow, white, lilac and other shades, according to

the variety and borne in stalked heads which are 2 to 3.5 centimeters in diameter. Calyx

small. Corolla-tube is slender; the limb spreading, 6 to 7 millimeters wide, and divided into

unequal lobes. Stamens 4, in 2 pairs. Ovary is 2-celled, 2-ovuled. Fruit is drupaceous, sweet

tasting, purple or black, fleshy ovoid, and about 5 millimeters long (Mandial, 2016).

Solar Cell. It is also called photovoltaic cell, It is any device that directly converts

the energy of light into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. The overwhelming

majority of solar cells are fabricated from silicon with increasing efficiency and lowering

cost but it is still bought at a high cost which makes it not budget-friendly since there are

more people are living in the moderate style of living and under. (Brittanica Encyclopedia,

2019)

Titanium Oxide (TiO). It is a nontoxic Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

approved (as GRAS) food-contact material exhibiting strong antimicrobial activity with a

similar mode of action to silver after UV excitement (Chawengkijwanich & Hayata, 2013).

Volt-Ohm-Meter (VOM). It is battery powered and is used with the current turned

off. It's used to check continuity in a wire or component and to measure the electrical

current -- from 0 to 250 volts, AC (alternating current, as in houses) or DC (direct current,

as in batteries) flowing through the wire or component. This will be used in this study to

know how much energy was acquired during the experimental phase (Fix-it Club,2014).
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