Title : Nature-inspired photonic transition metal energy systems for enhancing solar energy conversion and enduring sustainable energy storage efficiency
Abstract:
The global transition toward sustainable energy technologies necessitates the development of environmentally benign, cost-effective, and highly efficient materials for solar energy harvesting and storage. The present research investigates the synergistic integration of plant extract-derived natural photosensitizers with transition metal engineered semiconductor nanostructures for advanced visible-light-driven solar energy conversion and storage applications. Natural pigments extracted from plants were utilized owing to their high concentrations of chlorophylls, anthocyanins, carotenoids, flavonoids, tannins, and polyphenolic compounds exhibiting strong photon absorption in the visible spectral region (400–700 nm).
Transition metals including titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu) were incorporated into TiO₂ nanostructured matrices to enhance electron mobility, charge separation kinetics, photostability, and electrochemical conductivity. Spectroscopic investigations using UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed superior optical absorption, enhanced electron excitation, efficient molecular anchoring, and improved nanostructural morphology of the hybrid systems & demonstrated remarkable photoelectric conversion efficiencies ranging under visible light illumination after transition-metal incorporation. Electrochemical studies revealed enhanced cyclic stability, superior capacitance retention, rapid electron transfer behavior, and reduced recombination losses. The hybrid bio-inspired energy systems exhibited exceptional sustainability advantages including biodegradability, reduced toxicity, low environmental impact, and economically scalable fabrication.
This study establishes a transformative multidisciplinary approach combining green chemistry, renewable energy engineering, nanotechnology, materials science, and spectroscopy for the advancement of next-generation ecofriendly solar energy conversion and storage technologies.
Keywords: Natural Photosensitizers, Plant Extract, Solar Energy Conversion, Sustainable Energy Storage(SES), Transition Metals, Solar Cells, Green Technology, Ecofriendly Energy Materials, Renewable Energy Engineering, Photochemical Energy Systems(PES).
