Panchromatic dyes having diketopyrrolopyrrole and ethylenedioxythiophene applied to dye-sensitized solar cells

• Novel donor-acceptor-π-acceptor (D-A-π-A) dyes having have been synthesized.
• The introduction of ethylenedioxythiophene improved the photoactive spectral regions.
• Influences of alkyl substituents on the DSSC performances were discussed.

Novel panchromatic donor-acceptor-π-acceptor dyes (DPP1–4) containing diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) have been designed and synthesized. Introduction of both DPP and EDOT units into a dye framework induced a remarkable red-shift of absorption bands and thus photoactive spectral regions of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on the panchromatic DPP1–4 dyes were extended far above 800 nm. Influences of alkyl substituents in DPP1–4 on the performances of the DSSCs were discussed, and also those of co-adsorbate on TiO2 and additive in the electrolyte used in the DSSC preparation were studied to optimize photovoltaic performances of the DSSCs.

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