Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with

immersion time variation of working

electrode on the dye of C4 plant chlorophyll
of corn leaves (Zea mays L.)
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 2217, 030084 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0000600
Published Online: 14 April 2020

R. Anggraini, F. Nurosyid, and T. Kusumaningsih

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AIP Conference Proceedings 2217, 030084 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0000600 2217, 030084

© 2020 Author(s).
 Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) with Immersion Time
Variation of Working Electrode on The Dye of C4 Plant
Chlorophyll of Corn Leaves (Zea mays L.)

R. Anggraini1 , F. Nurosyid1,a) , and T. Kusumaningsih 2

1
Physics Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A
Kentingan Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
2
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A
Kentingan Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
a)
Corresponding author: fahrunurosyid@staff.uns.ac.id

Abstract. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) performance is mainly influenced by the amount of dye absorbed in the
working electrode. The amount of dye absorbed is influenced by several factors, including the immersing time of
working electrode in the dye. This study aims to obtain the effect of the immersing time of working electrodes on the
efficiency of DSSC with C4 plant chlorophyll of corn leaves as a sensitizer. The working electrode used was a TiO2
semiconductor. Dye is made from 1 g of corn leaves which is dissolved in 50 mL of acetone. The immersing time
variations used were 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. The characterization applied were a UV-Vis spectrophotometer to
measure the absorbance of the solution and absorbance of dye-coated work electrode layers, Keithley I-V Meter to
measure the efficiency and conductivity of dye solution. The absorbance of the solution from the dye chlorophyll of corn
leaves is located at a wavelength of 450 nm - 500 nm and 650 nm - 670 nm. The absorbance of the coating from the
working electrode soaked in chlorophyll dye from immersion 1 hour increased to immersion 6 hours and then decreased
continuously at immersion 12, 24 and 48 hours. The efficiency and conductivity results showed a similar trend to the
absorbance of the working electrode layer. The highest efficiency was obtained at immersing time of 6 hours, which was
9.12 x 10-2%. The highest conductivity was obtained at immersing time of 6 hours which was 8.9 Ω-1m-1.

INTRODUCTION
DSSC is a third generation solar cell that utilizes a sensitizer as a light absorber. Sensitizers used can be either
synthetic or natural dyes. Natural dyes are usually obtained from natural pigments such as chlorophyll [1],
anthocyanin and carotene [2] from plants such as flowers, fruits, leaves, stems and roots [3, 4]. Natural dyes from
chlorophyll pigments have many advantages including being easily available, inexpensive and environmentally
friendly [5].
The DSSC parts consist of working electrodes, dyes, counter electrodes and electrolytes [6, 7, 8]. Dye is the key
to light absorption. Electron injection to semiconductors is also influenced by dye. High electron photo generation is
obtained when a lot of dye is absorbed on the electrodes [9].
Research of Uddin et al., [10] with dye Amaranthus sp. get the highest efficiency for 30 minutes immersion.
Alaba [11] examined DSSC with eggplant as a dye obtained optimal efficiency at 15 hours immersion. The optimal
immersing time for a variety of different dyes are different. Therefore, this study focuses on variations in the
immersing time with chlorophyll dye from corn leaves.

The 5th International Conference on Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, and Chemical Engineering 2019 (ICIMECE 2019)
AIP Conf. Proc. 2217, 030084-1–030084-5; https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0000600
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1971-1/$30.00

030084-1
 METHODS
The substrate used in this study was Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) glass. Platinum is used as the counter
electrode and TiO2 semiconductor is used as a working electrode. Iodine, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and potassium
iodide are used as electrolytes [12,13,14]. Sensitizer used was chlorophyll from C4 corn leaves.
The active area used is 0.5 cm2. The deposition method used to make working electrodes is spin coating. The
working electrodes were then annealed using a furnace with a temperature of 400˚C with a holding time of 10
minutes.
Dye solutions is done by dissolving 1 gram of corn leaf into 50 mL acetone and stirring with a magnetic stirrer
for 10 minutes. Platinum as a counter electrode is made by the brush painting method. Coating is done once a
minute as many as 25 layers. The counter electrode is heated with a hotplate at 250˚C.
The electrodes that have been annealed are immersed in dye with an immersion time variation. The variations
used are 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours. The next step is to make a DSSC sandwich from work electrodes that have been
soaked in dye, counter electrodes and filled with electrolyte solutions.
Dye solution and work electrodes that have been soaked in dye are measured by absorbance using a UV-Vis
spectrophotometer. The dye solution that has been used to immerse the working electrode is measured by the
conductivity of the solution with a Keithley I-V Meter. The efficiency of DSSC is also measured by Keithley I-V
Meter.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Figure 1 shows the results of UV-Vis dye chlorophyll spectrophotometer corn leaf. The absorption peak is
located at a wavelength of 400-500 nm which is a combined absorption of chlorophyll a and b. Peak at wavelength
530-540 nm and 660-680 nm is chlorophyll a absorption and at wavelength 600-630 nm is chlorophyll b absorption.
This absorption accordance to the chlorophyll absorption in reference [15]. Chlorophyll from corn leaves can be
used as a sensitizer because it has absorption in visible light.

FIGURE 1. Absorbance spectra of chlorophyll dye solutions from corn leaves

The results of the UV-Vis spectrophotometer characterization of the working electrode layer before and after
immersing in the chlorophyll dye are shown in Fig. 2. The absorbance of the layer increases at the immersion of 1
hour leading to a 6 hour immersion. The highest peak absorbance of the working electrode layer at 6 hours
immersion. Absorbance in 12, 24, and 48 hours immersion has decreased. This decrease is due to the immersion dye
solution has decreased performance. This decrease is seen from a lumpy dye solution so that the dye absorbed into
the working electrodes is also small.

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 FIGURE 2. UV-Vis absorbance spectra of working electrode before and after immersed with chlorophyll dye

Table 1 shows the results of the dye conductivity characterization. Conductivity testing of the solution is carried
out in the dark and light. The value of conductivity when light is higher than when it is dark, this indicates that the
dye solution has photoconductivity or has a response to light [16]. When the dye solution is exposed to light, the dye
molecule decomposes into positive ions and negative ions [17]. A solution that has a lot of negative ions will
produce high conductivity. When the dye solution is exposed to light the negative ions produced are more than when
not exposed to light, therefore the conductivity value when light is higher than when it is dark.

TABLE 1. Conductivity of chlorophyll dye solutions

Conductivity (Ω-1m-1)
Immersing time (hours)
Dark Light
1 2.4x10-2 ± 0.7 x10-2 5.0 x10-2 ± 0.7x10-2
6 7.6x10-2 ± 0.2 x10-2 8.9 x10-2 ± 1.6 x10-2
12 6.2x10-2 ± 0.2 x10-2 7.4 x10-2 ± 1.5 x10-2
24 5.1x10-2 ± 0.1 x10-2 5.4 x10-2 ± 1.0 x10-2
48 1.0x10-2 ± 0.3 x10-2 1.7 x10-2 ± 0.2 x10-2

The conductivity value increases at the immersion of 1 hour leading to the 6 hour immersion. Electrical
conductivity at 6 hours immersion has the highest value. High electrical conductivity indicates the easier the
material to conduct electricity. High conductance of electricity due to there are many free electrons in the material
[18]. The number of electrons can be caused by the amount of dye that is in the solution absorbs too much light so
that it can excite a lot of electrons. The number of excited electrons causes large currents so that their efficiency is
high [19].
The value of electrical conductivity on the immersion of 12, 24 and 48 hours has decreased continuously. This
decrease in conductivity is because the fact that the dye has decreased in performance. The results of this
characterization correlate with the characterization of the UV-Vis spectrophotometer and Keithley I-V Meter.
Curves from the characterization of Keithley I-V Meter are shown in Fig. 3. The curves on the 6 hours
immersion in quadrant four show the widest. A large area value indicates a large power value. The efficiency value
at 6 hours immersion also showed the greatest value which was 9.12x10-2%.
The values of DSSC parameters can be seen in Table 2. The efficiency of DSSC cells increases at the immersion
of 1 hour leading to the 6 hour immersion. The efficiency of DSSC cells in soaking 12, 24 and 48 hours decreased
continuously. The optimum efficiency lies in the 6 hour immersion according to the highest Isc value as well.

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 FIGURE 3. I-V curve of DSSC with immersing time variations

TABLE 2. DSSC parameters with immersing time variations

Immersing time
Isc (mA) Voc (V) Imax (mA) Vmax (V) FF η (%)
(hour)
-2 -1 -2 -1 -1
1 7.47x10 5.60x10 8.76x10 2.72x10 5.70x10 4.78x10-2
6 1.38x10-1 5.15x10-1 1.58x10-1 2.87x10-1 6.39x10-1 9.12x10-2
12 1.14x10-1 5.75x10-1 1.19x10-2 3.63x10-1 6.09x10-1 8.01x10-2
24 8.68x10-2 6.06x10-1 9.84x10-2 3.18x10-1 5.94x10-1 6.27x10-2
48 5.26x10-2 5.45x10-1 4.93x10-3 2.87x10-1 4.93x10-1 2.84x10-2

High Isc value causes the value of efficiency is also high. The high efficiency is due to the dye molecules being
absorbed in the TiO2 semiconductor which can absorb a lot of light so that it can excite many electrons [20, 21].
This correlates with UV-Vis characterization and electrical conductivity which shows the same trend. The highest
absorption of the working electrode layer at 6 hours immersion as well as the highest conductivity value.

SUMMARY

The optimal immersing time from corn leaf chlorophyll dye was obtained at 6 hours soaking which produced the
highest efficiency, 9.12 x 10-2%. This correlates with the results of absorbance and conductivity which also produce
the highest value.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work is supported by Directorate of Research and Community services, Ministry of Research, Technology,
and Higher Education and Institute for Research and Community services, Sebelas Maret University by PUPT Grant
Program. (Contracts Number : 517/UN27.21/PN/2019).

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