Triphenylamine-based dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Three, novel dyes carrying bis-triphenylamine donor groups were designed and synthesized, and their optical and electrochemical properties were characterized. TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated with the dyes as photosensitizers displayed higher open-circuit voltage and power conversion efficiency than the corresponding mono-TPA substituted donor-acceptor dyes. The two, hydrophobic bis-triphenylamine donor groups within the dyes effectively inhibited the approach of I3− to the surface of nanocrystallite TiO2 film. The most promising of the novel dyes displayed a power conversion efficiency of 5.06%, short circuit photocurrent density of 10.25 mA cm−2, open circuit photovoltage of 0.678 V and fill factor of 0.73.