Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Ultra-fast co-sensitization and tri-sensitization of dye-sensitized solar cells with N719, SQ1 and triarylamine dyes

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Ross Harrington, Professor William Clegg

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis of a new, yellow triphenylamine dye, 4-[2-(4-diphenylaminophenyl) vinyl] benzoic acid] (6), with a sorption maximum at 380 nm in solution for which EQE data show shifts to 420 nm on sorption to TiO2. The performance of this dye has been measured in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) devices, showing eta = 2.6% for 1 cm(2) devices. Light soaking of (6) shows excellent long-term stability with <10% variation in device performance over 1800 h. Full characterization data are reported for (6) and the intermediates used in its synthesis including single-crystal X-ray structural analysis of all compounds. The paper also describes the ultra-fast dye sensitization and co-sensitization of TiO2 photo-electrodes in 5 minutes using one or two dyes and the first example of ultra-fast tri-sensitization. The dyes tested include the ruthenium dye N719, the squaraine dye SQ1, the red triphenylamine dye 2-cyano-3-{4-[2-(4-diphenylaminophenyl)vinyl]phenyl} acrylic acid (5) and (6). DSC efficiencies of 7.5% have been achieved for 1 cm(2) devices co-sensitized using (6) and N719. These efficiencies exceed those recorded for single dye devices and EQE measurements confirm efficient photon capture from two or more dyes in a single photo-electrode. Photo-acoustic calorimetry (PAC) has also been used to measure the energy of the charge separation states formed for (6) and N719, showing a larger value (1.47 eV) for (6) compared to N719 (1.08 eV), whilst a TiO2 film co-sensitized with both (6) and N719 gave an intermediate value (1.28 eV). These data have been used to calculate dye HOMO, LUMO and lambda(max) levels for (6) and N719 leading to important insights for future successful co-sensitization.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Holliman PJ, Mohsen M, Connell A, Davies ML, Al-Salihi K, Pitak MB, Tizzard GJ, Coles SJ, Harrington RW, Clegg W, Serpa C, Fontes OH, Charbonneau C, Carnie MJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Materials Chemistry

Year: 2012

Volume: 22

Issue: 26

Pages: 13318-13327

Print publication date: 02/05/2012

ISSN (print): 0959-9428

ISSN (electronic): 1364-5501

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c2jm31314f

DOI: 10.1039/c2jm31314f


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
ERDF-WAG LCRI
FEDER (European Union)
Iraqi Govt
EP/E03585X/1EPSRC
PTDC/QUI/QUI/099730/2008Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portugal) through the COMPETE programme

Share