Issue 43, 2020

Metal-free efficient dye-sensitized solar cells based on thioalkylated bithiophenyl organic dyes

Abstract

A series of new metal-free organic dyes based on 3,3′-dithioalkyl-2,2′-bithiophene (SBT) organic chromophores was synthesized for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Because S(alkyl)⋯S(thiophene) intermolecular interlocking renders the twist angle in the structure as <1°, the SBT core is almost flat, as evidenced by the single crystal, optical, and electrochemical data. Through structural modification of SBT π-linkers with different alkyl chains and conjugated thiophene units, significant chromophore aggregation and interfacial charge recombination can be inhibited. Among all the dyes synthesized, the optimized dye (having a high extinction coefficient of 1.3 × 104 cm−1 M−1 at 497 nm) with the co-adsorbent chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) reached a power conversion efficiency (η) of 9.46% under 1 sun (AM 1.5 G, 100 mW cm−2). After 1000 h of testing under 1 sun, a solar cell made with this dye and the co-adsorbent CDCA still maintained 88% of its initial efficiency, compared to 69% for a cell made with N719 dye. Moreover, when tested under a T5 fluorescent lamp of 2400 lux, the η of this dye with CDCA was 12.34%.

Graphical abstract: Metal-free efficient dye-sensitized solar cells based on thioalkylated bithiophenyl organic dyes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 5 2020
Accepted
12 8 2020
First published
13 8 2020

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2020,8, 15322-15330

Metal-free efficient dye-sensitized solar cells based on thioalkylated bithiophenyl organic dyes

F. Lin, P. Priyanka, M. Fan, S. Vegiraju, J. Ni, Y. Wu, Y. Li, G. Lee, Y. Ezhumalai, R. Jeng, M. Chen and K. Ho, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2020, 8, 15322 DOI: 10.1039/D0TC02310H

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