Abstract:

Alternatives to traditional silicon-based solar cells have drawn more attention as the need for  sustainable energy solutions keeps rising, and that's due to their consistent performance under low illumination, flexibility, and ease of manufacture, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) present a possible solution. This study investigates the use of natural photosensitizers in single-dye and dyad combinations, including betalain from beetroot and anthocyanin from red cabbage. These natural colors were chosen because of their potent light-absorption capabilities, environmental friendliness, and accessibility. Each dye was used singly or in a combined dyad structure to manufacture DSSCs, which were then assessed for optical and photovoltaic performance. The presence of important functional groups and the properties of dye absorption were assessed using spectroscopic methods such as UV-Vis and ATR-FTIR, in addition, photovoltaic parameters were measured, and according to the results, the dyad design performed better than the single-dye cells. The two pigments have complimentary and wider range of light absorption which causes this performance improvement. These findings demonstrate how mixing natural dyes can increase DSSC efficiency and offer a workable, environmentally responsible strategy for developing next-generation solar technology.