Absorption Wavelength Extension for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells by Varying the Substituents of Chiral Salen Cu(II) Complexes

Abstract

New chiral salen-type Cu(II) complexes ( 1-9 ) were prepared, and the effects of different substituent groups on their absorption spectra were evaluated using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). Electron withdrawing groups resulted in a red-shift and an increase in the peak intensity. According to cyclic voltammetry analyses, the introduction of electron withdrawing groups brought the redox potentials (E 0 ) in agreement with the orbital level energies determined via TD-DFT. The reduction potentials for 1-9 are less than −0.500 V, and therefore, it is electrochemically possible to dope electrons in TiO 2 . In addition, the oxidation potentials are greater than +0.200 V, indicating that it is electrochemically possible to regenerate the dyes. Preproduction dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated using compounds 1-9 generated electricity. In particular, the DSSC prepared using 2 (which has electron withdrawing groups and the largest maximum absorption) exceeded the power conversion efficiency of DSSC fabricated using N3 , which is a commonly used Ru(II) complex.