Synthesis and properties of broad-band absorption POSS-based hybrids

• POSS-based hybrids with broad-band absorbing properties were successfully prepared.
• The hybrids combined the absorbing bands of different covalently connected dyes.
• The hybrids prevented the aggregation of dye chromophores.

Broadening the absorption spectra of dyes is an effective way to increase the energy conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells. Here POSS-based hybrids with broad-band absorbing properties were successfully prepared by using octavinyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OV-POSS) and three organic molecules with their absorption band in the range of UV, Vis and NIR via Heck reaction. The structure and property of the hybrids were well characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, UV-Vis-NIR and fluorescence spectra. It was found that the hybrids not only combined the absorbing bands of different dyes, but also prevented the aggregation of dye chromophores, resulting in an improvement in optical stability.