title: Stabilized Conversion Efficiency and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells from Beta vulgaris Pigment.
abstract: Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs), based on TiO(2) and assembled using a dye from Beta vulgaris extract (BVE) with Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), are reported. The dye BVE/TEOS increased its UV resistance, rendering an increase in the cell lifetime; the performance of these solar cells was compared to those prepared with BVE without TEOS. The efficiency η for the solar energy conversion was, for BVE and BVE/TEOS, of  0.89% ± 0.006% and 0.68% ± 0.006% with a current density Jsc of 2.71 ± 0.003 mA/cm2 and 2.08 ± 0.003 mA/cm2, respectively, using in both cases an irradiation of 100 mW/cm2 at 25 °C. The efficiency of the BVE solar cell dropped from 0.9 ± 0.006 to 0.85 ± 0.006 after 72 h of operation, whereas for the BVE/TEOS, the efficiency remained practically constant in the same period of time.
authors: Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001, Juriquilla, Qro. C.P. 76230, Mexico. angel.ramon.hernandez@gmail.com.
authors: Angel Ramon
authors: AR
authors: Hernández-Martínez
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Estévez
authors: Susana
authors: S
authors: Vargas
authors: Rogelio
authors: R
authors: Rodríguez