Based on thiophene-containing Zn(II) and Co(II) complexes: Synthesis,characterization,and application to dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar Cells have attracted great attention recently due to their excellent advantages. This study introduces the cobalt and zinc metal complexes as a new class of sensitizers for evaluation. We report the synthesis and characterization of zinc and cobalt complexes of organic dyes and applications of Dye-Sensitive TiO₂ Solar Cells. In this study, the reason we prefer cobalt and zinc complexes is that they provide a wide absorption spectrum and high molar absorption. The fact that these complexes have good energy level adaptations helps in efficient electron transfer. In the designed complexes, 4,5-diazafluoren metal complexes bonded with thiophene and carbonyl as electron donors and as electron-with drawing groups were synthesized. Structural characterization was achieved with FTIR, UV-Vis, and Maldi-MS. The metal complex binder dye has demonstrated promising DSSC properties such as short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor, indicating efficient charge generation and injection. The bathochromic shift seen in the UV-Vis spectra of the dyes was promising for good efficiency. Notably, the highest efficiency was obtained from ZnS2 with 0.61%, while the lowest was from CoS1 with 0.17%. The power conversion efficiencies (η) produced by CoS1, CoS2, ZnS1, and ZnS2 dyes exhibit device performance ZnS2 > ZnS1 > CoS2 > CoS1 respectively. With these results, the development of DSSCs is promising.

Graphical Abstract

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