Geometrical Isomerism of Ru Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Sensitizers and Effects on Photophysical Properties and Device Performances

F.-C. Hu, S.-W. Wang, Y. Chi, N. Robertson, T. Hewat, Y. Hu, S.-H. Liu, P.-T. Chou, P.-F. Yang, H.-W. Lin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

To supplement our study on thiocyanate-free ruthenium sensitizers (TFRS) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which belong to a class of Ru-based complexes coordinated by a single 4,4'-dicarboxylic acid-2,2'-bipyridine and two symmetrically arranged functionalized trans-azolate chelates, we carefully isolated and characterized the second and less-abundant stereoisomer, in which the two pyridyl azolate ancillaries are asymetrically cis-arranged to each other. Two distinctive ancillaries, namely: 5-[4-(5-hexyl-2-thienyl)-2-pyridinyl]-3-trifluoromethyl pyrazole and 5-(6-tert-butyl-1-isoquinolinyl)-3-trifluoromethyl pyrazole, were employed in this study, giving a total of four sensitizers, that is, thienyl substituted TFRS-2a and 2b, and isoquinolinyl substituted TFRS-52a and 52b, in which the suffix b indicates the cis-stereoisomers. To gain insight into their fundamental properties their photophysical, electrochemical, and spectroelectrochemical behavior was investigated by density functional theory. Upon comparison of the correspondingly fabricated DSSCs, the sensitizers TFRS-2a and 52a yielded significantly higher conversion efficiencies than their asymmetrical cis-counterparts, TFRS-2b and 52b. To rationalize the cell performances charge extraction/photovoltage decay and impedance spectroscopic measurements were carried out to compare the rates of interfacial electron recombination from the TiO conduction band to the electrolyte.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1207–1215
JournalChemPhysChem
Volume15
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

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