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Dye-sensitized solar cell performance of a cobalt(III/II) redox mediator with the 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one ligand

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Abstract

The development of redox shuttles containing electrolytes is very important for obtaining efficient dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We have therefore synthesized and characterized homoleptic [Co(dafo)3]3+/2+ complexes (dafo = 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one) and studied the effect of the redox diffusion coefficient on the photovoltaic performance of their DSSCs. The compounds were characterized by FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, NMR and MS spectroscopic data. The [Co(dafo)3]2+/3+ system has been used to formulate redox-mediator electrolytes for application in DSSC devices with the N719 ruthenium-polypyridyl dye, TiO2 and CdS sensitizer. This system shows a slightly higher power-conversion efficiency (η = 0.30%) in a DSSC device prepared with a CdS/Pt electrode. Although the [Co(dafo)3]3+/2+ electrolyte shows a moderately high open-circuit potential (Voc = 0.58), it suffers from a reduced short-circuit current (Jcs = 2.04). The data suggest a decreased turnover of the CoIII/II redox couple at the Pt counter electrode for the [Co(dafo)3]3+/2+ system, concomitant with an increased resistance to mass-transfer diffusion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Yıldız Technical University, 34220, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ibrahim Erden & Melike Arslan Faideci

  2. Department of Physics, Yıldız Technical University, 34220, Istanbul, Turkey

    Seda Erdönmez

Authors
  1. Ibrahim Erden
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  2. Melike Arslan Faideci
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  3. Seda Erdönmez
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Correspondence to Ibrahim Erden.

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Erden, I., Faideci, M.A. & Erdönmez, S. Dye-sensitized solar cell performance of a cobalt(III/II) redox mediator with the 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one ligand. Transit Met Chem 43, 279–284 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11243-018-0214-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11243-018-0214-8

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