The Problem
The increasing current usage of fossil fuels is contributing to a rising social cost as well as air and water pollution, detrimental climate change, and severe health problems. Recently, many possible alternative energy sources have entered the spotlight to try to offset reliance on fossil fuels. Photovoltaic cells are advantageous over the other "green" energies because they are more globally adaptable and less dependent on geographic locations. Photovoltaic cells have a huge potential that has not yet been fully exploited as the sun is the largest source of energy in the world. Our research aims to improve the cost to energy output ratio of a dye-sensitized solar cell to make solar energy more viable by integrating photosynthetic pigments with TiO2 solar cells.
The Question
How can we make more efficient TiO2 photovoltaic cells by integrating photosynthetic plant pigments? We will determine which pigments are most efficient in absorbing and converting light energy, and which combinations of different pigments are most useful for improving a TiO2 solar cell.
The Team
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Sullivan
Librarian: Damon Austin
Team Members
Eran Barnoy, Physics and Astronomy
Mark Conley, Chemical Engineering
Steve Gan, Chemical Engineering
Yonatan Gefen, Electrical Engineering
Jana Lovell, Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, minor in Spanish
Katherine Mann, Microbiology and Classics
Adin Shuchatowitz, Chemistry and Finance
Christine Tobin, Biology and Psychology
The Mission
Our research aims to improve the cost to energy output ratio to make solar energy more viable. We hope to achieve this goal by maximizing power output and by improving the energy conversion efficiency per surface area. We can make solar panels more efficient by incorporating photosynthetic pigments into photovoltaic cells to make them better absorb and convert light. The advantages of plant pigments over synthetic dyes include their natural quality, their relative low cost, and their successful conversion of light to usable energy. Our anticipated results will increase the knowledge of how to create a more efficient solar cell. Concluding whether specific concentrations and combinations of plant pigments increase the conversion efficiency of a solar cell is tremendously valuable to the energy field, especially as the search for the most successful alternative energy grows.
