Anchored porphyrin with different side chain groups via its axial coordinate self-assembly for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

In this work, four anchored zinc porphyrins ZnPAi (i = 1–4) with different side chain substituent groups and antenna porphyrin ZnP1 have been designed, synthesized, and characterized. Anchored porphyrin ZnPAi (i = 1–4) and its self-assemblies formed by axial coordination with antenna porphyrin have been used as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells. Our results indicate that cells based on self-assemblies exhibited obviously enhanced power conversion efficiency. In particular, the solar cells based on the zinc porphyrin (ZnPA2) with t-butyl side chain groups show higher conversion efficiency than that of other side chain porphyrin based devices. These results were also verified by optical performance, photocurrent conversion efficiency, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In addition, the energy level and ground state geometric configuration of the dye were calculated, and the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum was simulated through density functional theory to further verify its photoelectric behavior.