Organic sensitizers with modified di(thiophen-2-yl)phenylamine donor units for dye-sensitized solar cells: a computational study

A theoretical investigation of decorated novel triazoles as DSSCs in PV devices

Some novel metal-free 1,2,4-triazole compounds A1-A8, based on the 3,5-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2,4-triazole derivatives were examined for photovoltaic properties using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations to test their suitability as metal-free organic dyes for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Through deductive logic, the fluorescence emission (Φ_f) and charge collection (η_c) efficiencies of these compounds as dyes were obtained and used to determine each dye's incident conversion efficiency (IPCE). From the analyses, A2 displayed the highest IPCE value, followed by A6 and A1. This technique is restricted to evaluating compounds for potential metal-free organic dyes only.

Efficiency improvement of new Tetrathienoacene-based dyes by enhancing donor, acceptor and bridge units, a theoretical study

A series of metal free Tetrathienoacene-based (TTA-based) organic dyes are designed and investigated as sensitizers for application in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Density function theory and time dependent density function theory calculations were performed on these dyes at vacuum and orthodichlorobenzene as the solvent. Effects of changing π-conjugation bridges and different functional groups in acceptor and donor units were investigated. UV-Vis absorption spectra were simulated to show the wavelength shifting and absorption properties. Inserting nitro and acyl chloride functional groups in acceptor and NH2 in donor units leads to the reduction of HOMO-LUMO gap by lowering the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level and raising the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level and the increase in effective parameters in DSSC' efficiency. The results show that changing spacer units from thiophene to furan has a great effect on electronic structure and absorption spectra. Investigation of the electron distributions of frontier orbitals shows the HOMO and LUMO localization in donor and acceptor, respectively. Some key parameters that were studied here include light harvesting efficiency, free energy of electron injection and open circuit photo-voltage.

The number density effect of N-substituted dyes on the TiO2 surface in dye sensitized solar cells: a theoretical study

The bulky of the donor moiety reduces the number density of the adsorbed Dye3 on the surface dramatically, corresponding to poorer energy conversion efficiency of 3.91% in Dye3 compared to the significantly better performance of 5.45% in Dye2.

Triple bond-modified anthracene sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells: a computational study

We performed a theoretical investigation on a series of organic dyes incorporating an anthracene moiety between a carbazole donor group and a cyanoacrylic acid acceptor, in which a triple bond (TB)-modified moiety acts as a π-conjugated linker.