Effects of Porphyrinic meso-Substituents on the Photovoltaic Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Number and Position of p-Carboxyphenyl and Thienyl Groups on Zinc Porphyrins

In order to understand the effects of meso-substituents of the zinc porphyrins on optical, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties, a series of porphyrins with different combinations of thienyl (S) and p-carboxyphenyl (A) groups as the meso substituents have been systematically synthesized and studied. The properties of zinc complexes 3S1A, trans-2S2A, cis-2S2A, and 1S3A were fully investigated by absorption and emission spectra, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, electrochemical, photophysical, and photovoltaic measurements. With the increasing number of meso-thienyl groups, slight red-shifts of Soret and Q bands were observed in both absorption and emission spectra. All of the absorption spectra of zinc porphyrins on TiO2 film show broadening and splitting of Soret bands because of excitonic coupling of porphyrins. ATR-FTIR spectra revealed likely modes to determine either a single arm (in 3S1A and trans-2S2A) or double arms (in 1S3A and cis-2S2A) attached on TiO2. Two factors of p-carboxyphenyl and thienyl groups affecting the devices performance-heavy atom effect and the amount of dye loading on TiO2-are concluded. Overall, the power conversion efficiencies (eta) of the devices exhibit the following order: 1S3A (3.0%) > cis-2S2A (2.5%) > trans-2S2A (1.8%) >> 3S1A (0.2%).