Ruthenium(II)- bipyridyl with extended 𝜋-system: Improved thermo-stable sensitizer for efficient and long-term durable dye sensitized solar cells

Journal of Chemical Sciences

M Chandrasekharam1³  T Suresh³  G Rajkumar²  Y Soujanya¹  Ch Srinivasa Rao³  P Y Reddy² 

[1] Molecular Modelling group, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500 607, India$$;Aisin Cosmos R&D Co. Ltd, Nanomaterials Laboratory, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500 607, India$$;Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500 607, India$$

关键词: Dye sensitized solar cells;    extended 𝜋-system;    thermo-stable;    Polypyridyl Ru(II)-sensitizers.;   

DOI  :  

来源: Indian Academy of Sciences

【 摘 要 】

A new extended thermo-stable high molar extinction coefficient bipyridyl ruthenium(II) complex "cis-Ru(4,4'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-2,2'-bipyridine)(Ln)(NCS)2 H101", where Ln = 4,4'-dicarboxylic acid-2,2'-bipyridine; was synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR, FT-IR and ESI-MASS spectroscopes. The H101 sensitized solar cell constructed with an active area of 0.54 cm2 in combination with an ionic liquid electrolyte exhibited broader photocurrent action spectrum with solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiency (𝜂) of 5.89 (JSC = 12.14 mA/cm2, VOC = 690 V, fill factor = 0.699) under Air Mass (AM) 1.5 sunlight, while the reference `cis-Ru(4,4'-dinonyl-2,2'-bipyridine)(Ln)(NCS)2', Z907 sensitized solar cell exhibited 𝜂-value of 5.17% (JSC = 11.93 mA/cm2, VOC = 650 V, fill factor = 0.666). TGA analysis of H101 showed extended thermal-stability and under continuous light exposure and aging at 55°C, the DSSC retained 85% of its initial 𝜂-value, while under comparable conditions Z907 sensitized solar cell retained 88%. As compared to 4,4'-dinonyl-2,2'-bipyridine in Z907, the new ancillary bipyridyl ligand `4,4'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-2,2'-bipyridine’ in H101 shifts the absorption bands remarkably towards blue. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent DFT excited state calculations of the new sensitizer show that the first three HOMOs have t2g character with sizeable mixing from the NCS ligands with 𝜋-bonding orbitals of 4,4'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-2,2'-bipyridine. The LUMO is a 𝜋*-orbital localized on the 4,4-dicarboxylic acid-2,2'-bipyridine and higher un-occupied frontier orbitals have 𝜋*-combinations with 4,4'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-2,2'-bipyridine.

【 授权许可】

Unknown