Synthesis and DSSC application of BODIPY decorated triazole bridged and benzene nucleus cored conjugated dendrimers

Abstract

Conjugated dendrimers decorated with 5,5-difluoro-10-(4-(prop-2-ynyloxy)phenyl)-5H-dipyrrolo[1,2-c:1′,2′-f][1,3,2]diazaborinin-4-ium-5-uide, usually known as boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY), have been synthesized and their application as photosensitizer in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has been evaluated. Third generation triazole bridged BODIPY dendrimers show higher light energy harvesting efficiency of 2.5% better than the first and second generation dendrimers, when used as a dye material in solar cells. The current intensity increases with an increase in the generation of the dendrimer as revealed by cyclic voltammetry. Fluorescence decay analysis shows that the relaxation times τ₁ and τ₂ increase as the dendrimer generation increases, however τ₂ for the third generation dendrimer decreases because of fluorescence quenching due to molecular crowding.