Photopigments of the Marine Microalgae Thalassiosira sp. for a Sensitizer of Solar Cells

• Main Author: Ambarwati, Masyitha
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Kimia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/32223
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Dye-sensitized solar cell is a photovoltaic device that convert the solar energy into electrical energy with the help of dye for harvesting of light. The purpose on the present work was to study the potential photopigments extracted from the tropical marine diatom Thalassiosira sp. for sensitizing the solar cell. The research were sequencially conducted by cultivating Thalassiosira sp. in the modified medium; extracting photopigments from dried-biomass using acetone as a solvent; purifiying photopigments using silica gel column chromatography; characterizing the photopigments using UV-Vis spectrophotometry; as well as developing and exaimining the solar cell. The results showed that the average cell density of Thalassiosira sp. grown in modified medium for 6 days was 2-2375 g/L culture. The crude extract of photopigments contained Chl a, Chl c and carotenoids with concentrations of 4.598, 0.1456, and 2.62 ?g/mL, respectively. Purified photopigments were Chl a (410,5; 430,5; and 662 nm), chlorophyllide (412; 431,2; and 662,2 nm), ?-carotene (425, 452, and 478 nm), and fucoxanthin (425,6; 446,6; and 477,4 nm). The dye-sensitized solar cell showed a diode characteristic, but the device performance did not showed a good photovoltaic effect yet.