Synthesis and photophysical properties of donor–acceptor system based bipyridylporphyrins for dye-sensitized solar cells

Bipyridylporphyrin derivatives possessing a porphyrin moiety as the electron donor and bipyridyl moiety as the electron–acceptor were designed and synthesized for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The photophysical and electrochemical properties were investigated by absorption spectrometry and cyclic voltammetry. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to study electron distribution. From the photovoltaic performance measurements, a maximum conversion efficiency (η) of 0.38% was achieved based on the bipyridylporphyrin ruthenium dye A7 (JSC  = 1.33 mA/cm2, VOC = 0.45 V, FF = 0.64) under 1.5 irradiation (100 mW/cm2).

Graphical abstractThe donor–acceptor system based bipyridylporphyrins have been synthesized and investigated for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The experimental and theory calculation studies show the suitable HOMO–LUMO energy levels of all dyes.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide