Novel diethylaniline D-A-π-A sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells

• Published in: Journal of molecular structure 2019-05, Vol.1183, p.360-366
• Main Authors: Han, Liang, Ke, Yong'an, Liu, Xuehui, Jiang, Shaoliang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Benzothiadiazole; Diethylaniline; Photovoltaic performance; Sensitizers
• ISSN: 0022-2860; 1872-8014
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2019.02.008

Three diethylaniline D-A-π-A sensitizers were designed and synthesized with diethylaniline as the electron donor, benzothiadiazole as the auxiliary acceptor, aryl ring as π-bridge, and cyanoacrylic acid as the acceptor. Their photophysical, electrochemical and photoelectric conversion properties were measured and analyzed based on the difference of π-bridge. The sensitizer with thiophene π-bridge shows broader absorption region than the sensitizers with furan or benzene π-bridges, which brings about its improved incident photo-to-current conversion efficiency and accordingly higher JSC. In addition, DSSC based on the sensitizer with thiophene π-bridge shows the largest charge recombination resistance and superior VOC. Thus, among three diethylaniline sensitizers, dye with thiophene π-bridge achieves optimal photoelectric conversion efficiency 5.42% (VOC = 0.67 V, JSC = 11.51 mA cm−2, ff = 0.70) under simulated AM 1.5 G irradiation (100 mW cm−2). •Three diethylaniline D-A-π-A sensitizers were designed and synthesized.•Their photophysical, electrochemical and photovoltaic performance were investigated.•The optimal photoelectric conversion efficiency 5.42% was achieved.