577 Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 4 | Jul-Aug 2022 Utilization of Extracted Natural Dye from Tectona grandis (Teak) as a Sensitizer for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Alamu Qudus A. 1* , Adara Peace Pamilerin 2 Kofoworola Awodele M. 1 and Oyeshola Hakeem O. 1 1 Department of Pure and Applied Physics Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering Science University of Johannesburg, Gauteng 2006, South Africa *Corresponding author details: Alamu Qudus A.; demolaalamu@gmail.com ABSTRACT Cost and energy payback time in relation to solar cell performances is one of the key parameters considered for mass application. In this research work, a low-cost, easily fabricated, and the more eco-friendly photovoltaic device was successfully developed using the dye synthesized from teak plant leaves. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is made up of photoelectrode and counter electrodes. The photoelectrode was prepared by depositing zinc paste on an active area of 1cm 2 of an Indium tin oxide (ITO) glass. The glass was annealed at a temperature of 450 0 C for 30 minutes and stained in a beaker containing teak dye (a dye extracted using ethanol) for 24 hours. Another ITO glass was placed some centimeters above a candle flame to form the counter electrode; the effect was a dark-shaded ITO glass. To have working DSSCs, a binder clip was introduced to couple the two electrodes and three drops of iodine (as an electrolyte) were dropped in between the electrodes to complete the fabrication process. The ethanol-extracted dye has an absorption spectrum of 342 nm at a small peak and a broad absorption wavelength in the range of 412-664 nm. The power conversion efficiency (ƞ) of 0.44% was achieved through the developed solar cell. Keywords: natural dye; ruthenium dye (inorganic dye); DSSCs; the power conversion efficiency INTRODUCTION The world population is on the rise, likewise, there is an increase in electricity consumption. However, fossil fuel, which is a major source of electricity production being non-renewable, is decreasing at an exponential rate with the increase in population. Coupled with the fact that fossil fuels pose harm to the environment (global warming), then there is a need for man to look for an alternative source (which is renewable, sustainable, and eco-friendly). Utilizing the power of the sun to generate electricity is a promising alternative, but there is a need for a photovoltaic device to convert the sun's energy through the radiation of photons on the solar panel into electrical power through a photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic devices can be categorized into first generation, second generation, and third generation solar cells. But under the third-generation solar cells categories falls the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) [1]. DSSCs became more popular among other generations of solar cells in the photovoltaic research world when O’Regan and Gräetzel reported an efficiency (η) of 7.1% using inorganic Ruthenium (II) dye as a sensitizer for the fabrication of DSSCs [2]. This paves way for several investigations to be conducted using a different technique to improve the DSSC performance [3-7]. Compared to other categories of solar cell generations [1], DSSCs are low-cost, more eco-friendly photovoltaic devices. The main components of DSSCs are the electrolyte, counter electrode, sensitizer, and thin film semiconductor electrode. The sensitizer (inorganic and organic dye) plays a crucial role in the DSSC performance [8-10] because it is able to capture the incoming photons which excite the dye from its neutral form to the excited form from the HOMO to the LUMO of the dye. At the LUMO, the excited dye gets oxidized (to form redox cation) by injecting electrons into the conduction band of the semiconductor electrode. A DSSCs efficiency can be affected by the type and nature of the sensitizer used [11-13]. Due to the chemical stability, photon absorption, and broad spectral range, high- efficiency (11%) ruthenium complexes are seen as one of the most efficient dyes [14]. However, the presence of heavy metal (ruthenium) in Ru complexes can pose a threat to the environment [15], and taking into account its complicated synthetic route, scarcity, and high cost, it is disadvantageous as a sensitizer in DSSCs. Attention is now being shifted towards the use of natural dye-sensitized solar cells [16-20]. Unlike Ruthenium complexes dye, natural dye is easily available, does not pose threat to the environment, simple extraction procedure, and is of low cost. Various parts of a plant using different solvents for extraction can be employed to prepare the natural dye. For this work, Tectona grandis (Teak leaves) dye extracted using ethanol is used as a sensitizer. EXPERIMENT The natural dye was prepared by plucking teak leaves, rinsed with water, and sun-dried. The dried leaves were crushed into smaller particles using mortar and pestle. 15g International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972 Volume: 3 | Issue: 4 | Jul - Aug 2022 Available Online: www.ijscia.com DOI: 10.51542/ijscia.v3i4.18