Highly Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Panchromatic Ruthenium Sensitizers with Quinolinylbipyridine Anchors

Panchromatic Ru-II sensitizers TF-30-TF-33 bearing a new class of 6-quinolin-8-yl-2,2-bipyridine anchor were synthesized and tested under AM1.5G simulated solar irradiation. Their increased conjugation relative to that of the traditional 2,2:6,2-terpyridine-based anchor led to a remarkable improvement in absorptivity across the whole UV-Vis-NIR spectral regime. Furthermore, the introduction of a bulky tert-butyl substituent on the quinolinyl fragment not only led to an increase in the J(SC)value owing to the suppression of dye aggregation, but remarkably also resulted in no loss in V-OC in comparison with the reference sensitizer containing a tricarboxyterpyridine anchor. The champion sensitizer in DSC devices was found to be TF-32 with a performance of J(SC)=19.2mAcm(-2), V-OC=740mV, FF=0.72, and =10.19%. This 6-quinolin-8-yl-2,2-bipyridine anchor thus serves as a prototype for the next generation of Ru-II sensitizers with any tridentate ancillary.