Synthesis of dendritic triphenylamine derivatives for dye-sensitized solar cells

Three new donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) metal-free organic dyes, in which dendritic triphenylamine acts as donor, and furan, thiophene and benzene as π-linkers, were synthesized, characterized and used for the application of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Among the fabricated DSSCs, the device based on the furan as π-linker exhibited a short circuit current density of 14.56 mA cm−2, an open circuit photo voltage of 0.71 V and a fill factor of 0.59, implying a power conversion efficiency (η) of 6.10%. The devices sensitized by dyes with thiophene and benzene as π-linker possessed relative lower η, 5.92% and 4.97%, respectively.

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► Synthesis of three new dendritic triphenylamine derivatives for dye-sensitized solar cells.
► Studies of properties such as photophysical, electrochemical and theoretical by appropriate methods.
► Fabricated photovoltaic device based on the furan as π-linker exhibits higher power conversion efficiency (η) of 6.10%.