Near-infrared absorbing porphyrin dyes with perpendicularly extended pi-conjugation for dye-sensitized solar cells

作者:Li Wenhui; Liu Zonghao; Xu Xiaobao; Cheng Yi Bing; Zhao Zhixin*; He Hongshan
来源:RSC Advances, 2014, 4(92): 50897-50905.
DOI:10.1039/c4ra08338e

摘要

Two new porphyrin dyes, coded as ZZX-N6 and ZZX-N6C12, with photon-to-electron response up to 800 nm in the solar spectrum were synthesized for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Four alkynyl groups were conjugated perpendicularly to the donor-pi-acceptor axis of the porphyrins through triple bonds, resulting in 40-56 nm red-shift of absorption onset compared to porphyrin dye YD2-o-C8, leading to higher short-circuit current density. Post treatment of dye-coated TiO2 films by chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) with a concurrent increase of iodide concentration in an electrolyte improved the cell performance. Both impedance spectroscopic and photovoltage decay measurements showed that charge resistance at the TiO2-electrolyte interface increased after the CDCA treatment. Increasing iodide concentration in the electrolyte enhanced the reduction of I-3(-) at the Pt counter electrode, leading to a higher short-circuit current density (J(SC)) and fill factor (FF). Under the optimized conditions, the ZZX-N6 based device exhibited an energy conversion efficiency of 7.21%, which is comparable to the YD2-o-C8 based device. The results demonstrate an alternative to broaden the light absorption capability of porphyrin dyes for high efficiency solar cells.