Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of organic dyes containing N-fluoren-2-yl dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]pyrrole and different donors

Abstract New organic dyes containing fluorene appended dithienopyrrole as electron rich linker, different arylamine/heterocyclic units as conjugating donors and cyanoacrylic acid as acceptor have been synthesized and characterized as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells. The effect of different conjugated donors such as triarylamine, carbazole and phenothiazine on the photophysical, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties is investigated. The optical and electrochemical properties of the dyes are strongly influenced by conjugating donors. The dye containing phenothiazine donor exhibited longer wavelength absorption and low oxidation potential. The time dependent density functional calculations performed on the dye models reveal charge transfer character for the longer wavelength absorption. The dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated using a dye containing fluorenyldiphenylamine donor displayed highest power conversion efficiency (6.81%) in the series originating from the high short circuit current density (JSC = 14.01 mA cm-2) and high open circuit voltage (VOC = 738 mV). © 2015 Elsevier B.V.