Dye sensitized solar cells based on Antarctic Hymenobacte r sp. UV11 dyes

Xanthophylls pigments extracted from Hymenobacte r sp. UV11 (a bacterium that produces reddish colonies on agar) collected at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, were tested as sensitizers in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Experiments were performed in the presence and in the absence of a co-adsorbent, a slimy substance produced by UV11 and identified as a polysaccharide during this work. Results suggest that the highest conversion efficiency (0.03%) was obtained when using the orange-xanthophylls pigment in the presence of the α-1,4-glucan both co-extracted from UV11. This work highlights the importance of using co-adsorbents as co-adjuvants in the production of more efficient DSSC manufactured with bacterial dyes. These results may contribute to the development of an exploration program of Antarctic resources, and offer the possibility to start the change in the energetic matrix in that remote area of the Planet, decreasing the environmental impact associated with the use of fossil fuels.