DFT and TD-DFT Calculations of Some Metal Free Phthalonitrile Derivatives for Enhancement of the Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

bands are assigned to … !… ⁄ transitions. Calculated results suggest that the three lowest energy excited states of 3,4-pyridinedicarbonitrile, 3-aminophthalonitrile, 4-aminophthalonitrile and 4-methylphthalonitrile are due to photoinduced electron transfer processes. The interfacial electron transfer between semiconductor TiO2 electrode and dye sensitizers 3,4-pyridinedicarbonitrile, 3-aminophthalonitrile, 4-aminophthalonitrile and 4-methylphthalonitrile is due to an electron injection process from excited dyes to the semiconductor’s conduction band. The role of amide and methyl groups in phthalonitrile in geometries, electronic structures, and spectral properties were analyzed in a comparative study of 3,4-pyridinedicarbonitrile, 3-aminophthalonitrile, 4-aminophthalonitrile and 4-methylphthalonitrile for the improvement of dye sensitized solar cells.