Study on the performance of photogalvanic cells for solar energy conversion and storage: Brilliant Cresyl Blue—D-Xylose—Sodium Lauryl Sulphate system

Abstract

SYNOPSIS The performance of photogalvanic cells for solar energy conversion and storage has been studied in a previously unexplored photogalvanic system containing Brilliant Cresyl Blue as photosensitiser with D-Xylose as reductant and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (NaLS) as surfactant. The observed value of the photogeneration of photopotential was 940.0 mV and photocurrent was 440.0 μA. The maximum power of the cell was 413.16 μW whereas the observed power at the power point was 115.00 μW. The conversion efficiency was 1.1057%. A fill factor of 0.2408 was experimentally determined at the power point of the photogalvanic cell. The rate of initial generation of current is 53.33 μA min-1. The photogalvanic cell so developed can work for 140.0 minutes in the dark if it is irradiated for 150.0 minutes, i.e. the storage capacity of the photogalvanic cell is 93.33%. Performance values exceed those reported in previous works.