Synthesis and Application of Two Organic Dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In the present study, two new organic dyes based on indigo were prepared and used as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells. To this end, indoxyl was utilized as the electron donor and cyanoacrylic acid as the electron acceptor anchoring groups. These dyes together with their corresponding intermediates were purified and characterized by FTIR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, elemental analysis and UV-Visible analytical techniques. Spectrophotometric evaluations of the prepared dyes in solution and on a TiO2 substrate were carried out in order to assess changes in the status of the dyes. The results show that the dyes form j-type aggregates on the TiO2 substrate. Finally, dye sensitized solar cells were fabricated in order to determine the current density/ photovoltage curves and conversion efficiencies of each dye. Prog. Color Colorants Coat. 6(2013), 109-117. © Institute for Color Science and Technology.