Rapid identification of natural dyes derived from microbial biomass through portable Raman spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis for DSSC application
Donatella Spadaro, Dario Giuffrida, Alessia Tropea, Ilaria Citro, Giuseppe Calogero, Stefano Trocino, Cassamo U. Mussagy, Rosa C. Ponterio, Luigi Mondello
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of carotenoid mixtures derived from various dye-producing microorganisms for application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Raw microbial biomasses were analyzed using rapid, non-destructive portable Raman spectroscopy, and spectral differences were interpreted through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), enabling the discrimination of four distinct classes of compounds not immediately evident from spectroscopy alone. To validate this pre-screening approach, DSSCs were fabricated using extracted pigments, and their photoelectrochemical properties were assessed by I–V and EIS measurements. The best-performing devices were associated with a specific Raman-PCA cluster, confirming a consistent correlation between spectral grouping and photovoltaic trends. Notably, this methodology represents a transferable and scalable screening platform that can be applied to microorganisms with diverse chemical structures, enabling the rapid and sustainable selection of promising pigment sources for green solar energy applications.
期刊介绍：
Energy is the single most valuable resource for human activity and the basis for all human progress. Materials play a key role in enabling technologies that can offer promising solutions to achieve renewable and sustainable energy pathways for the future.
Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy has been established to be the world''s foremost interdisciplinary forum for publication of research on all aspects of the study of materials for the deployment of renewable and sustainable energy technologies. The journal covers experimental and theoretical aspects of materials and prototype devices for sustainable energy conversion, storage, and saving, together with materials needed for renewable fuel production. It publishes reviews, original research articles, rapid communications, and perspectives. All manuscripts are peer-reviewed for scientific quality.
Topics include:
1. MATERIALS for renewable energy storage and conversion: Batteries, Supercapacitors, Fuel cells, Hydrogen storage, and Photovoltaics and solar cells.
2. MATERIALS for renewable and sustainable fuel production: Hydrogen production and fuel generation from renewables (catalysis), Solar-driven reactions to hydrogen and fuels from renewables (photocatalysis), Biofuels, and Carbon dioxide sequestration and conversion.
3. MATERIALS for energy saving: Thermoelectrics, Novel illumination sources for efficient lighting, and Energy saving in buildings.
4. MATERIALS modeling and theoretical aspects.
5. Advanced characterization techniques of MATERIALS
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