Tin-U and Smith-Washington 1

Feasibility and Longevity of Rose Pigments in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Problem Statement: Which rose color (Red, yellow, orange, white, and purple), when extracted and utilized as the photosensitizer in the dye sensitized solar cell will produce the greatest amount of voltages in the short- and long-term?

Hypothesis: If rose pigments can be extracted and utilized in the same way as fruit and vegetable pigments in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, then the red rose, rich with anthocyanin, would produce the most voltages in the short- and long-term.

Protocol/Procedure: 1. Gather and organize all materials and equipment as stated in the Materials List. 2. Follow the instructions that are given by the kit bought from the Institute of Chemical Education in order to assemble most of the cell, excluding the dyes. When the time comes to make the dyes, follow the kit instructions that dictate how to prepare each of the dyes, replacing the instructed dye with one of the experimental dyes, and prepare each of the six separate dyes in six separate Petri dishes. Label the Petri dishes to avoid confusion of the different dyes. (40 min)

Tin-U and Smith-Washington 2 3. Follow the rest of the kit instructions on the assembly of the solar cells. Repeat steps 12 to produce the cells necessary for the experiment, two cells for each dye. Allow the titanium dioxide layers to soak in the dyes for 24 hours. 4. After the dye sensitized solar cells have been prepared, arrange all twelve cells (two cells for each dye) outside on a non-reflective tray, two inches apart from each other. (3 min) 5. The cells should be tested in direct sunlight at 12 p.m., with minimal cloud cover and no objects to obstruct the light path to the solar cells. The outdoor temperature and weather must be noted and recorded. 6. The solar cells will be allowed 60 minutes of sun exposure, with one person testing and recording of the voltages with the digital multi meter at each of the 10 minute marks. (60 min) 7. After the first day for all the solar cells is finished, place the solar cells in a dark, cool, dry area (for example: a closet) so that they receive no exposure to light. Repeat steps 4 through 6 at 12 pm of the following two days to complete the number of trials that is needed to test each solar cell. 8. After the trials are complete, the data should be analyzed and a graph should be made based on the data collected. Part B 1. Repeat the beginning of the experiment until Step 4. 2. The cells will be tested in the sun for 12 hours from 7am until 7pm. The voltages will be checked hourly over the course of the day along with the overall weather and outdoor temperature.

Tin-U and Smith-Washington 3 Part C 1. Repeat the beginning of the experiment until Step 4. 2. Place the cells in the same testing spot for 3 weeks and record the voltages between 5-6pm daily along with the weather and outdoor temperature. Data analysis In Part A of the experiment, the data obtained during this phase would aid us in the prediction of the general trend of the voltages produced by each pigment and how the cells compare to each other, whether one cell produces more than the other. In Part B of the experiment, the cells voltages will be collected over a 12-hour period and be used to identify general trends during the day, optimal working hours, and voltage production stability for each of the cells. In Part C of the experiment, the cells longevity would be tested by collecting voltage productions at one particular point of the day (from 5pm to 6pm), over a period of three weeks or until the cell stops producing any voltages. With the data collected from this portion of the experiment, we could plot this data onto a line graph and see which cell maintains the longest lifespan and most consistent amount of voltages produced. After all three phases of the experiment have been completed, the data would be analyzed collectively. We would examine general trends each cell may have exhibited as well as peaks of optimal voltage production, longevity, and total voltage productions. After analyzing each of the cells own characteristics, we would finally compare each of the different pigments to each other and figure out the highest voltage producing and longest lasting cell.

Tin-U and Smith-Washington 4 Bibliography/Summary Sheet:

Bazargan, M. Hossein. Performance of Nano Structured Dye Sensitized Solar Cell Utilizing Natural Sensitizer Operated with Platinum and Carbon coated Counter Journal of Nanomaterials & Biostructures (2009): 723-727. Electrodes. Digest

Bryanvand, M. Malekshahi, M. H. Bazargan, and A. Nemati Kharat. Fabrication and Investigation of Flexible Dye Sensitized Nanocrystalline Solar Cell Utilizing Natural Sensitizer Operated with Gold Coated Counter Electrode. Digest Journal of Nanomaterials & Biostructures (2010): 645-650

Fernando, J. M. R. C., and G. K. R. Senadeera. Natural Anthocyanins as Dye-Sensitized Solar Devices. Current Science (2008): 663-666

Photosensitizers for

Ozuomba, J. O., A. J. Ekpunobi, and P. I. Ekwo. The Photovoltaic Performance of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell Based on Chlorin Local Dye. Chalcogenide Letters (2011): 155161. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 25 Aug. 2011

Tin-U and Smith-Washington 5 Appendix : Data Tables

Part A: Voltages Voltages produced at each time interval (minutes) 10 Cell Red1 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Red2 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Yellow 1 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Yellow 2 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 20 30 40 50 60 Overall Performan ce Avg

Tin-U and Smith-Washington 6 Orange Day 1 1 Day 2 Day 3 Orange Day 2 1 Day 2 Day 3 Purple 1 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Purple 2 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 White1 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 White2 Day 1

Tin-U and Smith-Washington 7 Day 2 Day 3 Spinac h1 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Spinac h2 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

-The Part B table measures the voltage hourly over a 12-hour time span. This will relay what time of day are the cells producing the most voltage and the peak hours of operation, given the weather conditions of the day and outdoor temperature. This part of the experiment tests which dye performs best at each hour and which dye is the most consistent over the course of the day.
Part B: Hourly Voltage

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Tin-U and Smith-Washington 9 -The Part C table measures the voltage of the cells at the end of the day over a 3-week time span. The purpose of this portion of the experiment is to relay which dyes have the longest endurance and will perform best for long-term use.
Part C: Voltages Week 1 Voltages Produced Each Day Day1 Cell Red1 Red2 Yellow 1 Yellow 2 Orange 1 Orange 2 Purple 1 Purple 2 White1 White2 Spinac h1 Spinac h2 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 AVG

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Part C: Voltages Week 2 Voltages Produced Each Day Day8 Cell Red1 Red2 Yellow 1 Yellow 2 Orange 1 Orange 2 Purple 1 Purple 2 White1 White2 Spinac h1 Spinac h2 Day9 Day10 Day11 Day12 Day13 Day14 AVG

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Part C: Voltages Week 3 Voltages Produced Each Day Day15 Cell Red1 Red2 Yellow 1 Yellow 2 Orange 1 Orange 2 Purple 1 Purple 2 White1 White2 Spinac h1 Spinac h2 Day16 Day17 Day18 Day19 Day20 Day21 AVG