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Bandgap Modulation in Efficient n ‐Thiophene Absorbers for Dye Solar Cell Sensitization
Author(s) -
Barea Eva Mª,
Caballero Rubén,
FabregatSantiago Francisco,
De La Cruz Pilar,
Langa Fernando,
Bisquert Juan
Publication year - 2010
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.200900605
Subject(s) - cyanoacetic acid , photocurrent , dye sensitized solar cell , photochemistry , solar cell , absorption (acoustics) , materials science , thiophene , energy conversion efficiency , conjugated system , mesoporous material , chemistry , photovoltaic system , quenching (fluorescence) , band gap , absorption spectroscopy , optoelectronics , optics , organic chemistry , polymer , fluorescence , electrolyte , electrode , ecology , physics , composite material , biology , catalysis
Five new sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells have been designed consisting of conjugated thienylenevinylene units threaded with alkyl chains to improve solubility and cyanoacetic acid as anchoring group. The conjugation length was increased from 2 to 6 thienylenevinylene units, which resulted in a red‐shift of the optical absorption of the dyes from 550 to 750 nm, improving the spectral overlap with the solar spectrum. The photovoltaic performance of these dyes as sensitizers in mesoporous TiO 2 solar cells shows a clear correlation of increasing photocurrent with the extension of the conjugation up to an optimal length. Further extension of the conjugation increases the absorption but additional effects like self‐quenching or recombination processes reduce the photocurrent and photovoltages and consequently the overall efficiency of the DSC.