An investigation of the role the donor moiety plays in modulating the efficiency of ‘donor-π-acceptor-π-acceptor’ organic DSSCs

• DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2016.12.061
• Publication Date: 2017-01-14T03:00:14Z
• Authors: Kwang-Won Park; Luis A. Serrano; Sungwoo Ahn; Myung Hoon Baek; Alan A. Wiles; Graeme Cooke; Jongin Hong
• Keywords: Moiety; Acceptor; Residue (chemistry)

Three 'D-π-A-π-A' based dyes have been synthesized featuring MeO-, MeS- and Me2N- as donor residues benzothiadiazole cyanoacrylic acid acceptor units. UV–vis spectroscopy, solution electrochemistry DFT modelling indicated that the residue has most significant effect on optical redox properties of a photosensitizer. DSSCs with functionalized dye gave highest power conversion efficiency series (η = 5.61%), presumably due to better ability this unit, which promotes more effective intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) characteristics.