Premium
A Dyadic Sensitizer for Dye Solar Cells with High Energy‐Transfer Efficiency in the Device
Author(s) -
Siegers Conrad,
HohlEbinger Jochen,
Zimmermann Boris,
Würfel Uli,
Mülhaupt Rolf,
Hinsch Andreas,
Haag Rainer
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.200700170
Subject(s) - energy transfer , dye sensitized solar cell , solar energy , energy transformation , photochemistry , materials science , solar energy conversion , energy conversion efficiency , förster resonance energy transfer , optoelectronics , chemistry , chemical physics , optics , physics , fluorescence , thermodynamics , electrode , electrolyte , ecology , biology
A new bichromophoric dyad based on an alkyl‐functionalized aminonaphthalimide as energy‐donor chromophore and [Ru(dcbpy) 2 (acac)]Cl (dcbpy=4,4′‐dicarboxybipyridine, acac=acetylacetonato) as energy acceptor and sensitizing chromophore is synthesized. Efficient quenching of the donor‐chromophore emission is observed in solution, presumably due to resonant energy transfer. This dyad is then used as a sensitizer in a dye solar cell. By comparing the spectral properties of transparent dye solar cells sensitized with the dyad and [Ru(dcbpy) 2 (acac)]Cl, it is possible to demonstrate that photons absorbed by the donor moiety also contribute significantly to the generation of current. Instead of using acceptor luminescence as a probe, enhanced photocurrent generation is employed to estimate the energy‐transfer efficiency. Fitting theoretical to experimental external quantum efficiency functions gives a value for the energy‐transfer efficiency of 85 %. Evaluation of the maximum output power of dye solar cells sensitized with the dyad and [Ru(dcbpy) 2 (acac)]Cl showed, under selective illumination at the absorption maximum of the donor chromophore, that the introduction of the energy‐donor moiety leads to a significant increase in the monochromatic maximum output power under blue illumination. This result demonstrates the usefulness of energy transfer for the generation of current in dye‐sensitized solar cells.