Simple indoline based donor–acceptor dye for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells

• A simple and robust indoline-triphenylamine based sensitizer for DSCs.
• An overall conversion efficiency of 6.01% was obtained.
• Strong electron donor triphenylamine unit extends absorption spectrum.
• Simple and robust molecular design is a promising class of sensitizers.

A simple metal-free donor–acceptor type sensitizer U01, bearing strong electron donor indoline-triphenylamine was synthesized for panchromatic sensitization of TiO2 nanocrystalline film. Photovoltaic properties of U01 showed remarkably enhanced light harvesting due to the presence of strong electron donor and robust structure. The new U01 sensitized solar cell exhibited a photovoltaic performance: a short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc) of 10.70 mA cm−2, an open-circuit photovoltage (Voc) of 0.758 V and a fill factor (FF) of 0.74, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 6.01% under standard global AM 1.5 solar light condition. Our results suggest that indoline-triphenylamine based robust D–A molecular architecture is a highly promising class of panchromatic sensitizers for improvement of the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs).

A new donor–acceptor type sensitizer, U01 has been synthesized for panchromatic TiO2 sensitization. The photovoltaic properties of U01 showed higher light harvesting compared to D-1 due to the presence of strong electron donor indoline-triphenylamine moiety and compact molecular structure, which translated into a high total conversion efficiency of 6.01%.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide