Porphyrin-Perylene Dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Two novel porphyrin-perylene dyads 1 and 2 for DSSC applications have been synthesized. The absorption band of the perylene fills up the trough between the Soret and Q bands of the porphyrin, leading to an increase in the absorption efficiency of the dye. The highly conjugated acetylenic bridge mediates strong electronic coupling between the porphyrin and perylene units and results in the extension of it-conjugation of the porphyrin ring. The Soret and Q bands are broadened and red-shifted and the light-harvesting effect is thus improved. We propose that energy transfer occurs from the photoexcited perylene to porphyrin for dyad 1 whereas energy transfer proceeds from the excited porphyrin to perylene for dyad 2. Our studies show that multichromophoric dyes used for DSSC can be designed in a rational manner with predictable photophysical behavior and efficient light-harvesting properties, but the efficiency of the energy transfer process in a consecutive model needs to be controlled for a significant improvement of the cell performance using perylene-porphyrin sensitizers.