Sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2 with black absorbers based on Os and Ru polypyridine complexes.
New metal complexes of the type [M(H3tcterpy)LY]+ (where M = Os(II) or Ru(II), L = substituted or unsubstituted bipyridine or pyridylquinoline, and Y = Cl-, I-, or SCN-) have been designed, synthesized, and characterized in view of their application for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The Os dyes show a very broad absorption, and correspondingly, the DSSCs show an unprecedented spectral response in the NIR, with an onset at 1100 nm, reaching values of about 50% at 900 nm. The integrated photocurrent of some of such Os dyes is similar to that of the well-known [Ru(Htcterpy)(NCS)3](TBA) and superior to that of the [Ru(Hdcbpy)2(NCS)2](TBA)2 sensitizer. The Ru dyes show absorption and DSSC spectral response between those of the red and black dyes. Their advantage is their potential superior stability due to the reversible oxidative electrochemistry.
Altobello
Silvano
S
Dipartimento di Chimica and Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF-CNR), Università di Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
Argazzi
Roberto
R
Caramori
Stefano
S
Contado
Cristiano
C
Da Fré
Simone
S
Rubino
Patrizia
P
Choné
Christophe
C
Larramona
Gerardo
G
Bignozzi
Carlo Alberto
CA