Exploiting Conformational Dynamics of Structurally Tuned Aryl-Substituted Terpyridyl Ruthenium(II) Complexes to Inhibit Charge Recombination in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
详细信息 查看全文
- 作者：Karen E. Spettel ; Niels H. Damrauer
- 刊名：Journal of Physical Chemistry C
- 出版年：2016
- 出版时间：May 26, 2016
- 年：2016
- 卷：120
- 期：20
- 页码：10815-10829
- 全文大小：731K
- 年卷期：0
- ISSN：1932-7455
文摘
To explore the impact of dye structure on photoinduced interfacial electron-transfer (ET) processes, a series of systematically tuned 4′-aryl-substituted terpyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes have been studied in TiO2 film and dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) device settings. Structural tuning is achieved by the introduction of methyl substituents at the ortho positions of a ligand aryl moiety. Solar power conversion efficiencies are measured, and these values are deconstructed to better understand the fundamental processes that control light-to-current conversion. Injection yields are identified as the primary factor limiting efficiencies, due in large part to significant nonradiative decay pathways in these bis-terpyridyl Ru(II) systems. Encouragingly, the addition of methyl steric bulk is found to inhibit charge recombination, with measured recombination lifetimes increasing by over 12-fold across the series of structurally tuned complexes. If injection yields can be improved, the structural tuning of recombination rate constants may be an important design strategy for improving solar conversion efficiency in solar cells and water-splitting devices.