A novel ruthenium-free TiO2 sensitizer consisting of di-p-tolylaminophenyl ethylenedioxythiophene and cyanoacrylate groups

Abstract

A novel ruthenium-free organic dye, 3-(5-(4-(di-p-tolylamino)styryl)-2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-7-yl)-2-cyanoacrylic acid (coded as H01), is synthesized in a short sequence. The dye is composed of a di(p-tolyl)phenylamino moiety as an electron donor, a cyanoacrylate moiety as an electron acceptor, and an ethylenedioxythiophene unit as the spacer to bridge the donor and the acceptor. The as-prepared H01 dye is employed as a sensitizer in a dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO₂ solar cell, and the short-circuit photocurrent density (J_sc), open-circuit voltage (V_oc), and fill factor (ff) of the device under AM 1.5 (100 mW cm⁻²) irradiation, are 15.22 mA cm⁻², 0.67 V, and 0.72, respectively, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency (Eff) of 7.33%.