Design and synthesis of novel bichalcophene derivatives with double anchoring groups for dye-sensitized solar cell applications: sensitization and co-sensitization with N-719

Abstract

Novel dyes F1-3 based on bichalcophene-pyrimidine-2,4,6-trione derivatives with dual anchoring were developed, synthesized, and evaluated as sensitizers and co-sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). F1 displayed the best DSSC performance (η, PCE = 4.41%) and the highest photovoltaic parameters, which were as follows: current density, JSC = 10.66 mA cm−2, photovoltage, VOC = 0.654 V, and fill factor, FF = 64.3%. These findings can be ascribed to F1’s superior optical and electrochemical characteristics when compared to other structures such as F2 and F3. Interestingly, devices that rely on the F1 + N-719 co-sensitization approach had greater photocurrent and photovoltage than the standard N-719 dye, generating a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.97%. This improved performance was mostly due to a higher JSC value of 23.28 mA cm−2 for the dye F1 and a maximum molar extinction coefficient in the 350–550 nm region, which enhanced the light-harvesting capacity of the N-719 dye.