Desenvolvimento de fotoanodos para células solares cossensibilizados com pigmento natural e ponto quântico

Abstract

The demand for alternative energy sources is growing, and solar energy has been shown promising as a clean, sustainable and inexhaustible source. Photovoltaic cells directly convert solar energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect, which occurs when a semiconductor material is exposed to light. The Shockley-Queisser photoconversion limit defines the maximum theoretical efficiency that these cells can achieve for a given light spectrum. Third generation solar cells appear as a possibility of exceeding this limit, being highlighted in research for improvement and cost reduction. This is the case, for example, of dye-sensitized solar cells and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. Cosensitization is proposed, that is, a cell combining sensitization by natural pigment (from the genipap fruit, a fruit of Amazonian origin) with sensitization by quantum dot CdS. The dye extraction was carried out by choosing to use Milli-Q water as solvent for the dye to be used. Photoanodes were developed and cells were set up in different configurations for parameter comparison. The results obtained from UV-Vis analyzes and photoelectrochemical characterizations made it possible to ensure the potential of the photoanode cosensitized by natural pigment and quantum dot.