Cyclometalated iridium(iii) complexes of (aryl)ethenyl functionalized 2,2′-bipyridine: synthesis, photophysical properties and trans–cis isomerization behavior

The syntheses and photoinduced trans–cis isomerization behavior of 4,4′-(aryl)ethenyl functionalized 2,2′-bipyridyls and their cyclometalated iridium(iii) complexes have been investigated by NMR and electronic spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and combined DFT-TDDFT studies.

TiO₂ nanotube-based dye-sensitized solar cell using new photosensitizer with enhanced open-circuit voltage and fill factor

We report the synthesis and characterization of a high molar extinction coefficient ruthenium complex sensitizer (Ru (6,6'-(COOEt)(2)-2,2'-bpy)(2)(Cl)(2)). In conjugation with TiO(2) nanotube arrays as a photoactive material and iodine/iodate redox electrolyte, we fabricated efficient dye-sensitized solar cell device showing a conversion efficiency of 3.94% measured under the air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) sunlight. The solar cell device showed a reasonably high open circuit voltage (0.74 V) as well as a fill factor of 0.63.

Theoretical study of new ruthenium-based dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Two relevant, recently reported, ruthenium-based complexes to be used as sensitizers in Grätzel photovoltaic cells are theoretically studied. The UV/vis absorption spectra have been computed within the time-dependent density functional theory formalism. The obtained excitation energies are compared with the experimental results, and the nature of the transition is analyzed in terms of the electronic density. A preliminary study on the performance of different functionals against the equation of motion coupled cluster is performed on a smaller model system.