On how electron density affects the redox stability of phenothiazine sensitizers on semiconducting surfaces.
The stabilities of three organic dyes that differ only by two substituents (-OMe, -H and -Br) about the phenothiazine donor unit were evaluated when immobilized on a semiconductor surface. All three dyes delivered modest power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), but maintained 75% of their initial PCE over 300 h of sustained simulated sunlight. Electron-donating substituents increased the stability of the phenothiazine radical unit created after light-induced charge injection into the semiconductor; however, this did not translate to higher DSSC stability, which appears to be more sensitive to the basicity of the anchoring group for this series.
Departments of Chemistry and Chemical & Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada. cberling@chem.ubc.ca.
Valerie A
VA
Chiykowski
Departments of Chemistry and Chemical & Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada. cberling@chem.ubc.ca.
Brian
B
Lam
Departments of Chemistry and Chemical & Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada. cberling@chem.ubc.ca.
Chuan
C
Du
Departments of Chemistry and Chemical & Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada. cberling@chem.ubc.ca.
Curtis P
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6875-849X
CP
Berlinguette