Issue 6, 2010

Synthesis and characterization of porphyrin sensitizers with various electron-donating substituents for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

A series of porphyrin dyes with an electron-donating group (EDG) attached at a meso-position (YD1–YD8) have been designed and synthesized for use as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The nature of the EDG exerts a significant influence on the spectral, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties of these sensitizers. Absorption spectra of porphyrins having an amino group show broadened Soret band and red-shifted Q bands with respect to those of reference porphyrin YD0. This phenomenon is more pronounced for porphyrins YD7 and YD8 that have a π-conjugated triphenylamine at the meso-position opposite the anchoring group. Upon introduction of an EDG at the meso-position, the potential for the first oxidation alters significantly to the negative whereas that for the first reduction changes inappreciably, indicating a decreased HOMO-LUMO gap. Results of density-functional theory (DFT) calculations support the spectroelectrochemical data for a delocalization of charge between the porphyrin ring and the amino group in the first oxidative state of diarylamino-substituted porphyrins YD1–YD4, which exhibit superior photovoltaic performance among all porphyrins under investigation. With long-chain alkyl groups on the diarylamino substituent, YD2 shows the best cell performance with JSC = 13.4 mA cm−2, VOC = 0.71 V, and FF = 0.69, giving an overall efficiency 6.6% of power conversion under simulated one-sun AM1.5 illumination.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis and characterization of porphyrin sensitizers with various electron-donating substituents for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Sep 2009
Accepted
05 Nov 2009
First published
16 Dec 2009

J. Mater. Chem., 2010,20, 1127-1134

Synthesis and characterization of porphyrin sensitizers with various electron-donating substituents for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

C. Hsieh, H. Lu, C. Chiu, C. Lee, S. Chuang, C. Mai, W. Yen, S. Hsu, E. W. Diau and C. Yeh, J. Mater. Chem., 2010, 20, 1127 DOI: 10.1039/B919645E

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