Convenient synthesis of EDOT-based dyes by CH-activation and their application as dyes in dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Precursors to three new 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) incorportaing dyes have been synthesisedviaa one-pot C–H activation route usingN,N-dimethylaniline as a donor group.

Photoinduced Charge Transfer: From Photography to Solar Energy

“…Between 1991 and 2017 lab based efficiencies increased steadily to just over 13%. 39,40 Many Ru dyes with various ligands have been investigated along with several other classes of dyes such as: triarylamines, 41,42 squaraines, 43 tiophenes, 44 indolines, 45 coumarins, 46 porphyrins 50 and pthalocyanines 47 in an effort to improve the light harvesting efficiency of devices. Generally, organic dyes have higher extinction coefficients than Ru dyes, and can offer better response in the near-infrared region, but have narrower absorption bands and can have problems with aggregation.…”

“…Generally, organic dyes have higher extinction coefficients than Ru dyes, and can offer better response in the near-infrared region, but have narrower absorption bands and can have problems with aggregation. 44 The development of co-sensitisation (the use of more than one dye) allows the absorption over complementary regions of the visible spectrum to increase the overall light harvesting efficiency of devices. 39,40,48,49 Co-sensitisation, together with the use of cobalt electrolytes, has led to some of the highest performing DSSC devices.…”

Novel benzothiazole half-squaraines: model chromophores to study dye–TiO2interactions in dye-sensitized solar cells

“…chenodeoxycholic acid -CDCA) to minimise dye aggregation. 8 In addition, many recent DSC reports have used co-sensitisation of the TiO 2 photo-anodes using two 9 or even three 10 dyes to maximise light harvesting. And yet, despite the crucial importance of the dye:TiO 2 interface, the binding mechanism and dye conguration remain poorly understood.…”

“…It is well established that having different molecular species on the photo-anode can have a profound effect on device performance; negatively for aggregated dyes, 35 or positively on adding the CDCA. 8,9,36 Given the strong effect they have on the device performance, these topics are astonishingly rarely studied. 19 In this paper we address the dye-TiO 2 orientation issue through a systematic study using a half-squaraine (HfSQ) dye chromophore where we have incorporated a sulphur atom into the indole moiety as an atomic tag.…”

“…37 Here, we have synthesised two novel but analogous families of HfSQ dyes using benzyl indoles linked to squaric acid moieties. One family of dyes has a sulphur heteroatom opposite the indole nitrogen (dyes (4), (6)(7)(8), (16)) whilst the second family has a dimethyl-derivatised carbon in this position (dyes (11), (12), (14), (15), (17)). These data have been correlated with DFT calculations of selected dyes on anatase TiO 2 (1 0 1) surfaces.…”