Influence of structural variations in push-pull zinc porphyrins on photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

We designed and synthesized two new zinc porphyrin dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Subtle molecular structural variation in the dyes significantly influenced the performance of the DSC devices. By utilizing these dyes in combination with a cobalt-based redox electrolyte using a photoanode made of mesoporous TiO2, we achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 12.0 % under AM 1.5 G (100 mW cm-2) simulated solar light. Moreover, we obtained a high PCE of 6.4 % for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells by using 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis-(N,N-di-p- methoxyphenylamine)-9,9′-spirobifluorene as a hole-transporting material. Dying to live: Subtle molecular structural variations in two zinc porphyrin dyes significantly influence the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell devices. By utilizing the dyes in combination with a cobalt-based redox electrolyte, a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) under simulated solar light is achieved. When using spiro-OMeTAD as the hole-transporting material in solid-state solar cells, the highest PCE for such a device until now is observed. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.