Issue 6, 2016

Synthesis, characterization and ab initio investigation of a panchromatic ullazine–porphyrin photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

An ullazine unit was employed as a donor moiety in a donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) motif, employing the porphyrin macrocycle as a π-system. Synthesis of this ullazine–porphyrin dyad containing sensitizer (SM63) was achieved and an investigation of the electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of this dye was performed. Introduction of the ullazine donor promoted significant enhancements in long and visible wavelength absorption, leading to panchromatic light harvesting. SM63 demonstrated a maximum absorption approaching 750 nm, a significant improvement compared to the model compound LD14-C8, which features a simpler donor component (4-(N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl) and an absorption onset at ∼700 nm. The dye SM63 was subjected to a rigorous ab initio investigation to gain further insight into its unique absorption and emission properties. Application of the molecular ullazine–porphyrin dyad SM63 into dye-sensitized solar cells afforded a device with significantly improved light harvesting abilities in both the visible region of the spectrum as well as NIR light (∼800 nm), demonstrating the value of ullazine unit in developing panchromatic dyes for light harvesting applications.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis, characterization and ab initio investigation of a panchromatic ullazine–porphyrin photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Oct 2015
Accepted
19 Jan 2016
First published
19 Jan 2016

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016,4, 2332-2339

Synthesis, characterization and ab initio investigation of a panchromatic ullazine–porphyrin photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells

S. Mathew, N. A. Astani, B. F. E. Curchod, J. H. Delcamp, M. Marszalek, J. Frey, U. Rothlisberger, M. K. Nazeeruddin and M. Grätzel, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016, 4, 2332 DOI: 10.1039/C5TA08728G

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