Procuring Natural Dye for Solar Cell Using Leaf Waste

The increase of energy demand nowadays is a global issue. Thus research for developing alternative energy that is more eco friendly is also increasing significantly especially continued research of solar cells. In India, the Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC), the third generation of Solar cells that use Ruthenium as the dye, has been developed to produce electricity by Researchers of the Indian Institute of technology. Despite the fact that DSSC Ruthenium performs well in producing electricity, it still cannot be mass produced as ruthenium is a rare material that is not easy to get in India. Thus the need to develop a local material that can be used as dye for DSSC to replace ruthenium. As India has many species of plants and their leaves waste contain pigment still not optimally used, the aim of this research is to examine the potency of developing natural dye from Jati (Jasminum grandiflorum), Filicium, and Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) leaves waste to substitute ruthenium in DSSC.