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Solid-state dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells based on a sensitizer covalently wired to a hole conducting polymer

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Abstract

We report on the molecular wiring efficiency of a ruthenium polypyridine complex acting as a sensitizer connected to a poly(3-hexyl)thiophene chain acting as hole transporting material. We have developed an efficient synthetic strategy to covalently connect via an ethanyl spacer a regioregular poly(3-hexyl)thiophene chain to a ruthenium complex. Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells were prepared either with the latter system or with a similar ruthenium sensitizer but lacking the polymer chain (reference system). The comparison of the photocurrent—photovoltage characteristics of the cells recorded under AM1.5 indicates a two fold improvement of the overall photoconversion efficiencies when the sensitizer is grafted to the hole transporting material (η = 0.27%) relative to the reference system (η = 0.13%). The higher photovoltaic performance can be attributed to the better diffusion-like propagation of the holes from the sensitizer to the counter electrode through the covalently linked polythiophene chain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEISAM Chimie Et Interdisciplinarité Synthèse Analyse Modélisation UFR des Sciences et des Techniques, Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 92208, 44322 NANTES, Cedex 3, France

    Coralie Houarner-Rassin, Errol Blart & Fabrice Odobel

  2. CNRS UMR CNRS 6230, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 92208, 44322 NANTES, Cedex 3, France

    Coralie Houarner-Rassin, Errol Blart & Fabrice Odobel

  3. CEA/Le Ripault Département Matériaux, BP16, 37260, Monts, France

    Coralie Houarner-Rassin & Pierrick Buvat

Authors
  1. Coralie Houarner-Rassin
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  2. Errol Blart
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  3. Pierrick Buvat
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  4. Fabrice Odobel
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Houarner-Rassin, C., Blart, E., Buvat, P. et al. Solid-state dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells based on a sensitizer covalently wired to a hole conducting polymer. Photochem Photobiol Sci 7, 789–793 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1039/b715013j

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