Ruthenium Sensitizers and Their Applications in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Yuancheng Qin,Qiang Peng

doi:10.1155/2012/291579

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to the possibility of low-cost conversion of photovoltaic energy. The DSSCs-based ruthenium complexes as sensitizers show high efficiency and excellent stability, implying potential practical applications. This review focuses on recent advances in design and preparation of efficient ruthenium sensitizers and their applications in DSSCs, including thiocyanate ruthenium sensitizers and thiocyanate-free ruthenium sensitizers.

Highlights

Energy is one of the most important factors to influence human life in the 21st century [1]
We review in this paper on the development of ruthenium sensitizers and their potential applications in Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs)
For a newly developed dye, the achievement of 10.2% power conversion coefficient of sensitizers has been demonstrated to be an elegant strategy to improve the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs

Summary

Introduction

Energy is one of the most important factors to influence human life in the 21st century [1]. The devices based on solar energy technology which convert sunlight directly into electricity are under the known photovoltaic effect. Following its discovery in 1991 [9], research on the DSSCs has progressed remarkably, rendering it a credible chemical alternative to solidstate silicon-based devices. Due to their high efficiency and stability, DSSCs were the first organic photovoltaic products to reach the market. State-of-the-art DSSCs based on ruthenium(II)polypyridyl complexes as the active materials have overall power conversion efficiencies over 11% under standard (Global Air Mass 1.5) illumination [12].

Thiocyanate Ruthenium Sensitizer for Solar Cells

Thiocyanate-Free Ruthenium Sensitizer

H15 HN

Findings

Conclusions and Perspective