Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
MATERIALS RESEARCH EXPRESS, cilt.13, sa.2, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Natural dye-sensitized solar cells (n-DSSCs) offer a sustainable and low-cost alternative to conventional photovoltaics. Three natural dyes - Cota tinctoria (CTT), Punica granatum (PG), and Linaria grandiflora (LG) - are investigated as a new eco-friendly sensitizer, and their photovoltaic performance is systematically correlated with energetic parameters. Comprehensive FT-IR, UV-vis, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses were employed to evaluate the relationships between electron injection driving force (Delta Ginj), recombination resistance (Rrec), and open-circuit voltage (VOC). Among the investigated natural dyes, the CTT-based device obtained the highest short-circuit current density (JSC = 2.11 mA cm-2), open-circuit voltage (VOC = 610 mV), and efficiency (eta = 0.91%). The correlation identified between Delta Ginj, Rrec, and VOC indicates that injection and recombination energies determine the efficiency of devices. These insights establish a mechanistic framework linking molecular energy alignment with photovoltaic behavior and guide the design of next-generation bio-derived sensitizers. Importantly, the study shows that superior Delta Ginj facilitates stronger electron injection into TiO2, while higher Rrec values suppress interfacial recombination, collectively governing VOC and overall efficiency. Overall, the results demonstrate that interplay between Delta Ginj and Rrec governs the photovoltaic behavior of natural dye-based DSSCs, establishing Cota tinctoria as a particularly promising bio-derived sensitizer for next-generation solar energy applications.