Optimization Of Dye Extraction From Turmeric (Curcuma Longa L.) And Henna Leaves (Lawsonia Inermis L.) In Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are also known as photovoltaic solar cells. Basic component that used as sensitizers in DSSC was synthetic inorganic compound however in this research a natural dye extract from the plants were used to replace the crystalline silicon solar cell due to the high cost. In this study, the types of sensitizers used from a natural dye which were turmeric and henna leaves. Other than that, Doctor Blading technique or known as a tape casting was used to sinter TiO2 powder at ITO glass. The extracted of these two dyes were immersed in the four different solvents which were ethanol (A), distilled water (B), a mixture of ethanol and distilled water 4:1 (C) and the other mixture was ethanol and distilled with different ratio 1:4 (D) successful investigated on DSSC. The efficiency of optimum sensitizers with the used of ethanol and distilled water were measured. FTIR was used to identify the carbonyl and hydroxyl groups that present in turmeric and henna. Meanwhile, UV-Vis was used to characterize the efficiency of these sensitizers by their ability to absorb light over a wide range of and the energy band gaps were recorded. The optimum dyes obtained the highest peak of absorption which was henna leaves that immersed in a mixture of ethanol and distilled water with ratio 4:1 solvent (C) due to the lowest energy band gap which was 1.89 eV. Moreover, the efficiency obtained was 1.32 × 10"#% higher than other solvents. So, it can conclude that the mixture of ethanol and distilled water with ratio 4:1(C) gave the highest efficiency of DSSC. The implication from this research was henna leaves that extracted from mixture of ethanol and distilled water gave better efficiency compared to ethanol solvent that was frequently used from previous study.