New D–D′–A Configured Dye for Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

D−π–A, D–A−π–A, and other configuration-based organic dyes have shown great potential in the field of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Compared with traditional configurations, D–D′–A offers several advantages such as enrichment of the electron-donating ability, absorption spectral region, and molar extinction coefficient and inhibits dye aggregation. Hence, in this work, a novel D–D′–A-type dye has been designed and synthesized for DSC applications. In this configuration, substituted imidazole has been used as a primary donor, phenothiazine as an auxiliary donor, and cyanoacetic acid as an acceptor/anchoring group. Structural characterizations of a D–D′–A-type dye were done by using NMR and electron ionization–mass spectrometry. Photophysical, electrochemical, and computational studies were systematically performed to evaluate its electronic transitions, light-harvesting property, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels, and redox behavior. The photop...