title: Dye-sensitized solar cells with improved performance using cone-calix[4]arene based dyes.
abstract: Three cone-calix[4]arene-based sensitizers (Calix-1-Calix-3) with multiple donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) moieties are designed, synthesized, and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Their photophysical and electrochemical properties are characterized by measuring UV/Vis absorption and emission spectra, cyclic voltammetry, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Calix-3 has excellent thermo- and photostability, as illustrated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dye-aging tests, respectively. Importantly, a DSSC using the Calix-3 dye displays a conversion efficiency of 5.48 % in under standard AM 1.5 Global solar illumination conditions, much better than corresponding DSSCs that use the rod-shaped dye M-3 with a single D-π-A chain (3.56 %). The dyes offer advantages in terms of higher molar extinction coefficients, longer electron lifetimes, better stability, and stronger binding ability to TiO2 film. This is the first example of calixarene-based sensitizers for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.
authors.affiliation: MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, 510275 Guangzhou (PR China).
authors.forename: Li-Lin
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Jun-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shao-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Dai-Bin
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Cheng-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D047250:Calixarenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004563:Electrochemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010636:Phenols / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D010636:Phenols; C121325:calix(4)arene; D047250:Calixarenes
keywords: calixarenes; donor-acceptor systems; dyes/pigments; solar cells; thiophenes