A comparative study on indoline dye- and ruthenium complex-sensitized hierarchically structured ZnO solar cells

We report the fabrication of polydisperse ZnO aggregates and subsequent optimization as effective photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) by controlling the annealing procedures. Two dyes, a metal-free indoline D149 and a commercial ruthenium complex N719 were used as sensitizers of ZnO DSCs with the maximum efficiencies (η) of 5.2% and 4.5%, respectively. The monolithic D149-based and N719-based ZnO DSCs with respective active area of 2.4 cm2 were also technically explored for the first time, reaching up to the η of 2.6% and 2.4%, respectively. The higher η of D149-based DSCs than N719-based DSCs is ascribed to expanded light harvesting and reduced interface resistance. Therefore, D149 can be considered as a better sensitizer candidate for application in low-cost ZnO based DSCs.

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► A comparative research on D149 and N719 using as sensitizers of ZnO DSCs.
► Higher efficiency of 5.2% for D149 ZnO DSC than 4.5% of N719 ZnO DSC.
► Preparation of monolithic ZnO based DSCs (S = 2.4 cm2) for the first time.
► Efficiencies of 2.6% and 2.4% for D149- and N719-monolithic ZnO based DSCs.