Effect of co-adsorbate and hole transporting layer on the photoinduced charge separation at the TiO2-phthalocyanine interface

Understanding the primary processes of charge separation (CS) in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and, in particular, analysis of the efficiency losses during these primary photoreactions is essential for designing new and efficient photosensitizers. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are potential...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Virkki, Kirsi, Tervola, Essi, Medel, Maria, Torres Cebada, Tomás, Tkachenko, Nikolai V.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Institución:Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Repositorio:Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/684082
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10486/684082
https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.8b00600
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Charge separation (CS)
Photoreactions
Phthalocyanines (Pcs)
Pc-sensitized DSSC
Spectroscopy
Layer of TiO2nanoparticle
Transporting material
Química
Descripción
Sumario:Understanding the primary processes of charge separation (CS) in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and, in particular, analysis of the efficiency losses during these primary photoreactions is essential for designing new and efficient photosensitizers. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are potentially interesting sensitizers having absorption in the red side of the optical spectrum and known to be efficient electron donors. However, the efficiencies of Pc-sensitized DSSCs are lower than that of the best DSSCs, which is commonly attributed to the aggregation tendency of Pcs. In this study, we employ ultrafast spectroscopy to discover why and how much does the aggregation affect the efficiency. The samples were prepared on a standard fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates covered by a porous layer of TiO2nanoparticles, functionalized by a Pc sensitizer and filled by a hole transporting material (Spiro-MeOTAD). The study demonstrates that the aggregation can be suppressed gradually by using co-adsorbates, such as chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and oleic acid, but rather high concentrations of co-adsorbate is required. Gradually, a few times improvement of quantum efficiency was observed at sensitizer/co-adsorbate ratio Pc/CDCA = 1:10 and higher. The time-resolved spectroscopy studies were complemented by standard photocurrent measurements of the same sample structures, which also confirmed gradual increase in photon-to-current conversion efficiency on mixing Pc with CDCA