A novel HMP-2 dye of high extinction coefficient designed for enhancing the performance of ZnO platelets

Newly designed cis-Ru(H₂dcbpy) (L) (NCS)₂ (HMP-2), where L is 4-(4-(N,N-di-(p-hexyloxyphenyl)-amino)styryl)-4′-methyl-2,2′-bipyridine, sensitizing dye of high extinction coefficient than the routinely preferred ruthenium (II) cis-di(thiocyanato)bis(2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid) (N3) sensitizing dye is explored. Electrochemically synthesized ZnO (plates of 4–5 μm in height and 100–150 nm in width) electrodes are dipped intentionally in N3 and HMP-2 dyes for 20 h so as to observe large surface agglomeration effect for ZnO/N3 system. Due to the local inhomogeneity resulting from the Zn²⁺/dye complex layer formed between ZnO platelets and N3 dye, its solar-to-electrical conversion efficiency is inferior than aggregation-free ZnO/HMP-2.