Red-Absorbing Cationic Acceptor Dyes for Photocathodes in Tandem Solar Cells

• A pair of new donor-pi-acceptor dyes that absorb toward the red region of the visible spectrum (CAD 1 and CAD 2) utilizing indolium cationic acceptor units have been synthesized for use in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSC). Their optical and electrochemical properties were determined experimentally, including application of ultrafast transient absorption and time-resolved infrared spectroscopies. Our results are supported by computational modeling. NiO-based p-DSCs with CAD 1 and CAD 2 gave short-circuit photocurrent densities of 3.6 and 3.3 mA cm(-2), respectively, which are substantially higher than that of any previous red-absorbing p-DSC. These results are a step toward tandem dye-sensitized solar cells that absorb higher-energy photons at the TiO2 anode and lower-energy photons at the NiO cathode. Routes to further improve the efficiency of NiO DSCS are also discussed.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Fysikalisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Physical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Dye-sensitized solar cells

Electrodes

Field emission cathodes

Photons

Computational model

Dye-Sensitized solar cell

Short-circuit photocurrent densities

Tandem solar cells

Time resolved infrared spectroscopy

Transient absorption

Ultra-fast

Visible spectra

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