Assessment of nanoparticles and algae as mediators with Trifolium sp. for the assembly of biosolar cells

Abstract

This work focuses on overcoming the electrical energy crisis by constructing small-scale, cost-effective, eco-friendly, and solar energy-derived biosolar cells for power generation. Trifolium sp., also known as clover, is flexible and adaptable to all ecological conditions, produces high biomass per unit land area, contains low lignin content, and is cost-intensive. It is reported to have high photosynthetic activity thus making it a potential choice over other biological components (plants, bacteria, microalgae) for constructing solar cells as the base medium. The experiment tested the ground biomass of Trifolium sp. fresh leaves with four potential mediators including titanium dioxide (TiO2), silver (Ag-Np), and gold nanoparticles (Au-Np), and blue-green spirulina algae to optimize the energy efficiency of Trifolium ground fresh leaves biomass under varying light intensities and cell sizes during the day. The results indicated Trifolium sp. as a potential plant that can efficiently convert solar energy into electrical energy without adding mediators. The response optimization desirability function (d= 0.991) validated the highest current yield of 718 mA from 252 cm² (approx. avg of 4.01 mA/cm²) cell plate in non-mediated biosolar cell and (d= 0.94) 1476 mA from 140 cm² (approx. avg. of 10.5 mA/cm²) from microalgae-mediated solar plates. This study supports Trifolium sp. as an eco-friendly material for the construction of cost-effective biosolar cells and output was improved with the supplementation of spirulina algae. The optimum size of the solar panel is still a debatable question, and more research experiments with the integration of green biomass and nanotechnology are suggested. The concept paves the way for the valorization of organic biomass waste as a potential input resource for future electrical power generation.