A blue dye-sensitized solar cell based on a covalently bridged oligothiophene chromophore. Issue 4 (27th January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Demeter, Dora; Melchiorre, Fabio; Biagini, Paolo; Po, Riccardo; Roncali, Jean
• Is Part Of: Tetrahedron letters. Volume 57:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 505
• Page End: 508
• Publication Date: 2016-01-27
• Subjects: Dye-sensitized solar cells -- Metal-free sensitizer -- Charge-transfer -- Color modulation; Chemistry, Organic -- Periodicals; 547.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2015.12.077
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-4039

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: Two quaterthiophenes with a terminal electron acceptor cyanoacrylic acid anchoring group have been synthesized to serve as metal-free sensitizers in titanium dioxide-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The covalent bridging of the acceptor group with the adjacent thiophene ring by an ortho -phenylene unit leads to a large red shift of the internal charge-transfer band and to a strong decrease in its relative intensity. As a consequence of these spectral modifications, the color of the dye changes from orange to blue both in solution and after chemisorption on titanium dioxide. A preliminary evaluation of the bridged dye in DSSCs shows that the production of the blue color is associated with a decrease of the conversion efficiency of the cell.