ABSTRACT
Over the past 20 years, ruthenium(II)-based dyes have played a pivotal role in turning dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) into a mature technology for the third generation of photovoltaics. However, the classic I3(-)/I(-) redox couple limits the performance and application of this technique. Simply replacing the iodine-based redox couple by new types like cobalt(3+/2+) complexes was not successful because of the poor compatibility between the ruthenium(II) sensitizer and the cobalt redox species. To address this problem and achieve higher power conversion efficiencies (PCEs), we introduce here six new cyclometalated ruthenium(II)-based dyes developed through ligand engineering. We tested DSCs employing these ruthenium(II) complexes and achieved PCEs of up to 9.4% using cobalt(3+/2+)-based electrolytes, which is the record efficiency to date featuring a ruthenium-based dye. In view of the complicated liquid DSC system, the disagreement found between different characterizations enlightens us about the importance of the sensitizer loading on TiO2, which is a subtle but equally important factor in the electronic properties of the sensitizers.
ABSTRACT
The cobalt cubium Co4O4(OAc)4(py)4(ClO4) (1A(+)) containing the mixed valence [Co4O4](5+) core is shown by multiple spectroscopic methods to react with hydroxide (OH(-)) but not with water molecules to produce O2. The yield of reaction products is stoichiometric (>99.5%): 41A(+) + 4OH(-) â O2 + 2H2O + 41A. By contrast, the structurally homologous cubium Co4O4(trans-OAc)2(bpy)4(ClO4)3, 1B(ClO4)3, produces no O2. EPR/NMR spectroscopies show clean conversion to cubane 1A during O2 evolution with no Co(2+) or Co3O4 side products. Mass spectrometry of the reaction between isotopically labeled µ-(16)O(bridging-oxo) 1A(+) and (18)O-bicarbonate/water shows (1) no exchange of (18)O into the bridging oxos of 1A(+), and (2) (36)O2 is the major product, thus requiring two OH(-) in the reactive intermediate. DFT calculations of solvated intermediates suggest that addition of two OH(-) to 1A(+) via OH(-) insertion into Co-OAc bonds is energetically favored, followed by outer-sphere oxidation to intermediate [1A(OH)2](0). The absence of O2 production by cubium 1B(3+) indicates the reactive intermediate derived from 1A(+) requires gem-1,1-dihydoxo stereochemistry to perform O-O bond formation. Outer-sphere oxidation of this intermediate by 2 equiv of 1A(+) accounts for the final stoichiometry. Collectively, these results and recent literature (Faraday Discuss., doi:10.1039/C5FD00076A and J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 12865-12872) validate the [Co4O4](4+/5+) cubane core as an intrinsic catalyst for oxidation of hydroxide by an inner-sphere mechanism.
ABSTRACT
The synthesis of two new thiocyanate free Ru(II) complexes with different pyrid-2-yl tetrazolate ligands is reported, along with their electrochemical, spectroscopic and theoretical characterization. The corresponding dye-sensitized solar cell devices were prepared, leading to 3.4% conversion efficiency, promising data, considering the simplicity of the ligands and the high chemical stability of the complexes.
ABSTRACT
Six new heteroleptic Ru(II) complexes (MC118, MC120-123 and MC126), of general formula Ru(L1)(L2)(NCS)2, where L1 and L2 are respectively dicarboxylated and π-conjugated functionalized (dissymmetric) bipyridine ligands, were designed, synthesized and applied as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells. These complexes were characterized both experimentally and theoretically, showing promising optical properties, with higher extinction coefficients compared to the prototypical N719 dye. When employed in working devices, in combination with a liquid I(-)/I3(-) redox electrolyte, the investigated sensitizers have shown power conversion efficiencies between 6.0 and 8.0%, comparable with the reference N719 dye tested under similar fabrication and evaluation conditions.
ABSTRACT
We report a joint experimental and computational study into the spectroscopic properties of a prototypical D5 organic dye, both in solution and adsorbed on a TiO2 surface, with the aim of modeling and quantifying the UV/Vis spectral shifts that occur in the different explored environments. Going from the dye in solution to dye-sensitized TiO2, various factors may shift the position of the UV/Vis absorption maximum, both towards longer and shorter wavelengths. Here we have focused on the effect of dye aggregation on TiO2, surface protonation, and solvent effects. The D5 dye forms stable aggregates on the TiO2 surface that cause spectral blueshifts. We used different sensitization conditions to vary the dye loading and thus the extent of dye aggregation. For each sensitization condition, we explored protonated and native TiO2 films. Computational modeling of different dimeric aggregates with increasing intermolecular interactions and simulation of the associated optical responses also confirm the observed spectral blueshifts. Our results show that both the presence of surface protons and solvent stabilize the excited state of the adsorbed dye molecules, which causes a marked redshift in the absorption maximum and thus moves in the opposite direction to the shift due to the increase in the surface coverage.
ABSTRACT
A new Ru(II) dye, Ru(L1)(L2) (NCS)2, L1 = (4-(5-hexylthiophen-2-yl)-4'(4-carboxyl-phenyl 2,2'-bipyridine) and L2 = (4-4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine), labelled MC112, based on a dissymmetric bipyridine ligand for improved interfacial and optical properties, was synthesized and used in DSCs, yielding photovoltaic efficiencies of 7.6% under standard AM 1.5 sunlight and an excellent device stability. Increased light harvesting and IPCE maximum were observed with MC112 compared to the prototypical homoleptic N719 dye, due to the functionalized bipyridyne ligand acting as an antenna. In addition, the mixed bipyridyne ligand allowed MC112 binding to TiO2 to occur via three anchoring carboxylic groups, thus exhibiting similar interfacial properties to those of the N719 dye. DFT/TDDFT calculations were performed on the new dye, both in solution and adsorbed on a TiO2 surface model, revealing that the peculiar photovoltaic properties of the MC112 dye are related to its anchoring mode. The new design rule thus allows us to engineer both light-harvesting and interfacial properties in the same dye.
ABSTRACT
We report a joint experimental and computational work on new organic donor-acceptor dye sensitizers in which a carbazole (CZ) and a phenothiazine (PTZ) units are linked together by an alkyl C6H13, while two different anchoring groups are employed: the cyanoacrylic acid (CS1A, CSORG1) and the rhodanine-3-acetic acid (CS4A, CSORG4). The CZ moiety has multiple roles of (i) acting as an extra-electron donor portion, providing more electron density on the PTZ; (ii) suppressing the back-electron transfer from TiO2 to the electrolyte by forming a compact insulating dye layer; (iii) modulating dye aggregation on the semiconductor surface; and (iv) acting as an antenna, collecting photons and, through long-range energy transfer, redirecting the captured energy to the dye sensitizer. We show that the introduction of the CZ donor remarkably enhances the photovoltaic performances of the rhodanine-based dye, compared to the corresponding simple PTZ dye, with more than a two-fold increase in the overall efficiencies, while it does not bring beneficial effects in the case of the cyanoacrylic-based sensitizer. Based on quantum mechanical calculations and experimental measurements, we show that, in addition to a favored long-range energy transfer, which increases the light absorption in the blue region of the spectrum, the presence of the CZ unit in the CSORG4 dye effectively induces a beneficial aggregation pattern on the semiconductor surface, yielding a broadened and red-shifted light absorption, accounting for the two-fold increase in the generated photocurrent.
