Unsymmetrical extended π-conjugated zinc phthalocyanine for sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2 films

Abstract

We have designed and synthesized a new unsymmetrical zinc phthalocyanine based on 'push-pull" and extended π-conjugation concept, PCH008. The new sensitizer was fully characterized by CHN anlysis, UV-Vis., fluorescence spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry. The new sensitizer which upon anchoring onto nanocrystalline TiO2 film exhibit a short circuit current of 5-63 mA cm-2, open circuit potential of 557.0 mV and a fill factor of 0.75 corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 2.35% under standard global air mass (AM) 1.5 solar conditions and compared its performance with literature reported phthalocyanine dyes. © Indian Academy of Sciences.