Syntheses and characterization of several nickel bis(dithiolene) complexes with strong and broad Near-IR absorption

Several nickel bis(dithiolene) complexes with strong and broad absorptions in the Near-IR (NIR) region (700–1100 nm) were synthesized by using green and simple synthetic routes. The physical and chemical properties of these dyes were systematically studied, including structure, optical spectroscopy and electrochemical behavior, etc. These NIR dyes were first applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and the photoelectrochemical performances were also investigated. The effects of different substituent groups on the properties of the dyes and photovoltaic performances of DSCs were discussed. Furthermore, we also applied the synthesized NIR dyes for constructing NIR absorbing filter. With their particular photoelectrochemical properties, the nickel bis(dithiolene) complexes exhibit promising prospects for future application.