Coumarin-based D–π–A dyes for efficient DSSCs: DFT and TD-DFT study of the π-spacers influence on photovoltaic properties

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A series of D–π–A architectures dyes with Coumarin-based derivatives as difluorenylaminocoumarin (DF) and diphenylaminocoumarin (DP) have been...     

Mechanofluorochromism of carbazole-type D–π–A fluorescent dyes

We have newly designed and synthesized unsymmetrical carbazole-type D–π–A fluorescent dyes. The dyes show a bathochromic shift-type mechanofluorochromism (MFC): grinding of as-recrystallized dyes induces a bathochromic shift of fluorescent color and the fluorescent color is recovered by heating or exposure to solvent vapor. In order to clarify the MFC mechanism for the carbazole-type D–π–A fluorescent dyes, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffractometry, single-crystal X-ray structural analysis, IR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry are performed before and after grinding of the solids. On the basis of experimental results and semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations (AM1 and INDO/S), we have revealed that the MFC is attributed to a reversible switching between crystalline and amorphous states with changes of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π–π interaction.     

Benzocarbazole-based D–Di–π–A dyes for DSSCs: DFT/TD-DFT study of influence of auxiliary donors on the performance of free dye and dye–TiO2 interface

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A series of ten organic dyes Ai (i=1–10) of type D–Di–π–A (i=2–10) combining various auxiliary donors (Di) with the same...     

A new D–D–π–A dye for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

New metal-free organic dye sensitizers containing mono-triphenylamine or bis-triphenylamine as the electron donor, a thiophene as the π-conjugated system, and a cyanoacrylic acid moiety as the electron acceptor were synthesized. The optical and electrochemical properties of the dyes were investigated,and their performance as sensitizers in solar cells was evaluated. Dye-sensitized solar cells based on dye containing bis-triphenylamine as the electron donor produced a photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 6.06%(Jsc = 14.21 m A/cm~2, Voc = 0.62 V, ff = 0.69) under 100 m W/cm~2 simulated AM 1.5 G solar irradiation(100 m W/cm~2).     

Computational design of new organic (D–π–A) dyes based on benzothiadiazole for photovoltaic applications,especially dye-sensitized solar cells

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A theoretical study on four organic dyes based on bis(4-hexyloxy)triphenylamine as donor and electron acceptor cyanoacrylic acid with a...     

Electronic and photophysical properties of the bend D–T–A–T–D derivatives for small-molecule organic photovoltaic (SM-OPV) solar cells: a DFT and TD-DFT investigation

A series of D–T–A–T–D derivatives (D, electron-donating moiety; T, π-conjugated linker; A, electron-acceptor moiety) with seven electron donor moieties and various electron abilities are designed to investigate the influence of the donor on photophysical properties for small-molecule organic photovoltaic solar cells. The 4,8-dimethoxybenzodithiophene (D₁), triphenyldsramine (D₂), 4-methoxy-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-phenylaniline (D₃), 9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluorene (D₄), 9-methyl-9H-carbazole (D₅), 4-methyl-4H-dithieno-pyrrole (D₆), and 4,4-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta-dithiophene (D₇) are adopted as the electron donor moiety. The BDTC (buta-1,3-diene-1,1,4,4-tetracarbonitrile) is used for the A moiety, and the thiophene (T) is used for the π-conjugated linker. The optimized structure of D–T–A–T–D derivatives exhibits the bend molecular conformation due to the steric effect within the A moiety. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies of these derivatives are dependent on the electron donating ability of D, which influences the open-circuit voltage and driving force. Reorganization energy suggests that these derivatives are good hole-transporting type materials. Projected density of state analysis demonstrates that in the HOMO, the electron density distribution is delocalized on the terminal D and T moieties, while in the LUMO, the electron density distribution is localized mainly on the A moiety. The maximum absorption peak, which has relatively high light harvesting efficiency, is due to the π to π* transition and can be tuned by the electron-donating ability and the resonance energy of the D moiety. The bend D₆–T–A–T–D₆/D₇–T–A–T–D₇ derivatives with D moiety of 4-methyl-4H-dithieno-pyrrole (D₆) and 4,4-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta-dithiophene (D₇) are good candidates as electron donor materials for SM-OPV.     

Thieno[2,3-a]carbazole-based donor–π–acceptor organic dyes for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

New donor–π–acceptor organic dyes K-1 and K-2 containing thieno[2,3-a]carbazole as an electron donor were designed and synthesized for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Photophysical and electrochemical properties of K-dyes were investigated. DSCs based on K-dyes showed a high conversion efficiency of 6.6–6.7% with a J_sc of 12.40–12.49 mA cm⁻² and a V_oc of 0.70–0.71 V. The molecular geometry calculation indicated that the existence of thienocarbazole donor in K-dyes enhanced the molecular planarity compared to the carbazole analogue dye MK-3. As a result, DSCs based on K-dyes showed high IPCEs, perhaps due to efficient intramolecular charge transfer and electron injection from excited dye to TiO₂ conduction band.     

A novel way of improving light harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells – Electrodeposition of titania

A novel and facile way of improving light harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells was developed. A thin light scattering layer, composed of patches of closely-packed titania nanoparticles of 10–15 nm in size and generated via an electrodeposition of titania onto the titania photo-anode, resulted in a significant increase of the short-circuit current density by 36%, leading to a 52% increase in the light to electricity conversion efficiency. The existence of this denser nanoparticle layer in the top portion of the titania photo-anode layer, although enhancing the light harvesting of the cell, retarded the diffusion of electrolyte. Consequently, an optimum extent of titania deposition was necessary to achieve a maximum improvement in the light to electricity conversion efficiency of the cell.     

New organic materials based on D–π–A structure for application in dye-sensitized solar cells

Research on Chemical Intermediates - We used density functional theory at B3LYP level with 6-31G(d,p) basis set for all atoms to study the electrochemical, photovoltaic, and absorption properties...     

Theoretical investigation of anthanthrene-based dyes in dye‐sensitized solar cell applications: Effect of nature of alkyl-substitutions and number of anchoring groups

In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the dye material plays a crucial role in determining the amount of electrical current obtained, which is the primary outcome of the cell. Therefore, it is crucial to explain the performance of a dye at a molecular level. This work investigates using density functional theory and time-dependent density (DFT and TD-DFT, respectively) four experimentally tested anthanthrene-based dyes abbreviated as D1 to D4. The four dyes differ in their alkyl-substitutions (nonane or 3-ethylheptane) and the number of anchoring groups (one/two cyanoacrylic acid/s). To study the effect of these two structural features, the work involves the calculations of the geometrical structures, electronic and optical properties of isolated forms. In addition, the adsorption behaviour of these dyes on TiO₂ clusters was explained. Properties such as the adsorption energies, and electro-optical properties were calculated and discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel main chain oxadiazole-based copolymer for n-type solar cell material

A novel oxadiazole-based copolymer has been successfully synthesized through the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling polycondensation method.The copolymer P is soluble in common organic solvents.Its structure has characterized by ~1H NMR,~(13)C NMR,gel permeation chromatagraphy (GPC),UV-vis absorbance (Abs) and photoluniminescence (PL) spectroscopy,and cyclic voltammetry (CV).Investigation of its optical properties revealed that it is yellow emitting material,and the electrochemical analysis showed that P was well suited poly (2,5-dioctyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene) (PDOCPV) for photovoltaic devices,so the copolymer P is able to act as an electron acceptor in combination with PDOCPV as the electron donor to quench photoluminescence of the copolymer in the blend,indicative of the efficient photoinduced electron transfer from the PDOCPV to the P.     

Theoretical investigation of novel carbazole-fluorene based D-π-A conjugated organic dyes as dye-sensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs)

The ground state structure and frontier molecular orbital of newly synthesized carbazole-fluorene based D-π-A organic dyes, CFP1A, CFP2A, CFP1CA, and CFP2CA, were theoretically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. These dye molecules have been constructed based on carbazole-fluorene as the electron-donating moiety while introducing benzene units as π-spacer connected to different anchor groups, such as acrylic acid and cyanoacrylic acid, as acceptors. The electronic vertical excitation energies and absorption wavelength were carried out using time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT). Furthermore, the adsorptions of phenylacrylic acid and phenylcyanoacrylic acid on the TiO(2) anatase (101) surface were carried out by means of quantum-chemical periodic calculations employing periodic PBE functional with DNP basis set. The results promise that anchor dyes with strong withdrawing CN group have easier injected electron to the conduction band of semiconductor implying that CFP1CA and CFP2CA show better performance among four dyes. Additionally, the intramolecular charge transfers (ICT) from electron donor group to anchoring group of CFP1CA and CFP2CA have shown better performance. The calculated results provide the efficiency trend of our new dyes as CFP1CA ≈ CFP2CA > CFP1A ≈ CFP2A which are excellently agree with experimental observation.     

A novel FRET approach for in situ investigation of cellulase–cellulose interaction

A novel real-time in situ detection method for the investigation of cellulase–cellulose interactions based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) has been developed. FRET has been widely used in biological and biophysical fields for studies related to proteins, nucleic acids, and small biological molecules. Here, we report the efficient labeling of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with donor dye 5-(aminomethyl)fluorescein and its use as a donor in a FRET assay together with an Alexa Fluor 594 (AF594, acceptor)–cellulase conjugate as acceptor. This methodology was successfully employed to investigate the temperature dependency of cellulase binding to cellulose at a molecular level by monitoring the fluorescence emission change of donor (or acceptor) in a homogeneous liquid environment. It also provides a sound base for ongoing cellulase–cellulose study using cellulosic fiber.     

Near-infrared absorbing squarylium dyes with linearly extended π-conjugated structure for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

A novel class of near-infrared absorbing squarylium sensitizers with linearly extended π-conjugated structures, which were obtained by Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with stannylcyclobutenediones, has been developed for dye-sensitized solar cells. The cells based on these dyes exhibited a significant spectral response in the near-infrared region over 750 nm in addition to the visible region.     

Synthesis and specific solvatochromism of D–π–A type pyridinium dye

Donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) type pyridinium dye bearing an iodide ion as the counter anion that has been newly synthesized showed specific solvatochromism, leading to large bathochromic shift of absorption band in halogenated solvents: the bathochromic shifts of the D–π–A type pyridinium dye in halogenated solvents are larger than those of the non-halogenated solvents of low ?_r values. Investigation of absorption spectral measurement, ¹H NMR measurements, and semi-empirical molecular calculations (AM1 and INDO/S using the SCRF Onsager Model) revealed that the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) characteristics of the D–π–A type pyridinium dye became stronger in the halogenated solvents. On the basis of the experimental results and the theoretical calculations, the influences of halogenated solvent on the large bathochromic shift of D–π–A type pyridinium dye are discussed. ^©2012 Elsevier Science. All rights reserved.     

Development of TiO2 pastes modified with Pechini sol–gel method for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell

A titanium oxide layer used for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has to meet two opponent properties to assure a high efficiency DSSC: good connection between TiO₂ grains and a large inner surface area. Three different paste formulations based on commercial nanocrystalline TiO₂ powder (Degussa P25) are studied. Results confirm that modification of the TiO₂ paste with the Pechini sol–gel method increases the surface area of the TiO₂ layer while maintaining good connections between the nanocrystalline grains, consequently the efficiency of the DSSC increases from 1.8% to 5.3%. The structure and morphology of the TiO₂ layers are described by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).     

A simple novel configuration for in-vial microporous membrane liquid–liquid extraction

A novel arrangement for microporous membrane liquid–liquid extraction from the aqueous donor phase to the organic acceptor phase within a micro-vial, which is compatible with the chromatograph autosampler is presented. The device consisted of a stoppered glass micro-vial containing the organic solvent where the septum of the screw stopper was replaced by a sized piece of membrane which is hermetically assembled to the volumetric flask containing the aqueous donor solution. The placement of the membrane in alternative contact with the solutions was achieved by orbital agitation. As a preliminary study, 2-ethylhexyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate has been determined (limit of quantification 0.11 μg L⁻¹, precision 7.4%). The small quantity of organic solvent used, the achieved sample cleanup, and the minimal handling and risk of cross-contamination are significant operational advantages.     

Insights into the role of D-A-π-A type pro-aromatic organic dyes with thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine as A acceptor group into dye-sensitized solar-cells. A TD-DFT/periodic DFT study

Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT)/periodic DFT calculations were performed to determine the role of pro-aromatic organic D-A -π -A type dyes (the NL1-NL17 family) with Thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine (Tpy) as A acceptor group into dye-sensitized solar-cells (DSSC). This work presents a discussion of the ground and excited states of these dyes along with the aromaticity analysis and the electron injection step using a dye@(TiO₂)₇₂ model. The results suggest that the pro-aromatic behavior increases from the thiophene ring to the pyrazine when an acceptor π-bridge such as phenyl is used. This strong pro-aromaticity is also reflected in the electron injection step, studied using a 3x2 3 layer (TiO₂)₇₂ slab model. The resulting adsorption energies (ΔE_ads and ΔG_ads) and the electron injection (ΔG_inject) in the stablest coordination mode, Bid_CN_COOH, indicate that the redox reaction (Dye* ➔ Dye⁺ + e⁻) is stronger and more spon than the adsorption reaction (Dye⁺ + TiO₂ [+e⁻] ➔ Dye@TiO₂) in the electron injection. In this way, the highest efficiency of NL6 and NL12 is a consequence of the more significant pro-aromatic characteristics and the more spontaneous redox process. Finally, these NL dyes are promising in the molecular engineering of D-A -π -A metal-free types dyes.