Dye-sensitized solar cells based on a push-pull zinc phthalocyanine bearing diphenylamine donor groups: computational predictions face experimental reality

Year: 2017

Authors: Milan R., Selopal GS., Cavazzini M., Orlandi S., Boaretto R., Caramori S., Concina I., Pozzi G.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Brescia, Dept Informat Engn, Via Valotti 9, I-25131 Brescia, Italy; CNR INO, SENSOR Lab, Via Branze 45, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; Technion Israel Inst Technol, Schulich Fac Chem, IL-32000 Haifa, Israel; Univ Elect Sci & Technol China, Inst Fundamental & Frontier Sci, Chengdu 610054, Sichuan, Peoples R China; Inst Natl Rech Sci, Ctr Energie Mat & Telecommun, 1650 Boul Lionel Boulet, Varennes, PQ J3X 1S2, Canada; ISTM CNR, Inst Mol Sci & Technol, Via Golgi 19, I-20133 Milan, Italy; Univ Ferrara, Dept Chem & Pharmaceut Sci, Via Borsari 46, I-44121 Ferrara, Italy; Lulea Univ Technol, Div Mat Sci, Dept Engn Sci & Math, S-97187 Lulea, Sweden.

Abstract: Computational studies have suggested that the integration of secondary amine as donor groups in the structure of unsymmetrical zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) should have positive effects on photovoltaic performance, once the molecule is integrated as light harvester in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Aiming at obtaining experimental confirmation, we synthesized a peripherally substituted push-pull ZnPc bearing three electron donating diphenylamine substituents and a carboxylic acid anchoring group and integrated it as sensitizer in TiO2-based DSSCs. Detailed functional characterization of solar energy converting devices resulted in ruling out the original hypothesis. The causes of this discrepancy have been highlighted, leading to a better understanding of the conditions for an effective design of push-pull diarylamino substituted ZnPcs for DSSCs.

Journal/Review: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS

Volume: 7      Pages from: 15675-1  to: 15675-10

More Information: The present work has been supported by the CNR/Regione Lombardia project Integrated Zero Emission Buildings. IC thanks VINNOVA under the VINNMER Marie Curie Incoming project Light Energy (LiEn), project No. 2015-01513, for partial funding.
KeyWords: Semiconductors; Recombination; Derivatives; Efficiency; Density; Voltage; Design
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15745-3

Citations: 18
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