TUTCRIS Research Portal

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of Co-Adsorbate and Hole Transporting Layer on the Photoinduced Charge Separation at the TiO2-Phthalocyanine Interface

AU - Virkki, Kirsi

AU - Tervola, Essi

AU - Medel, Maria

AU - Torres, Tomás

AU - Tkachenko, Nikolai V.

PY - 2018/5/31

Y1 - 2018/5/31

N2 - Understanding the primary processes of charge separation (CS) in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and, in particular, analysis of the efficiency losses during these primary photoreactions is essential for designing new and efficient photosensitizers. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are potentially interesting sensitizers having absorption in the red side of the optical spectrum and known to be efficient electron donors. However, the efficiencies of Pc-sensitized DSSCs are lower than that of the best DSSCs, which is commonly attributed to the aggregation tendency of Pcs. In this study, we employ ultrafast spectroscopy to discover why and how much does the aggregation affect the efficiency. The samples were prepared on a standard fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates covered by a porous layer of TiO2 nanoparticles, functionalized by a Pc sensitizer and filled by a hole transporting material (Spiro-MeOTAD). The study demonstrates that the aggregation can be suppressed gradually by using co-adsorbates, such as chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and oleic acid, but rather high concentrations of co-adsorbate is required. Gradually, a few times improvement of quantum efficiency was observed at sensitizer/co-adsorbate ratio Pc/CDCA = 1:10 and higher. The time-resolved spectroscopy studies were complemented by standard photocurrent measurements of the same sample structures, which also confirmed gradual increase in photon-to-current conversion efficiency on mixing Pc with CDCA.

AB - Understanding the primary processes of charge separation (CS) in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and, in particular, analysis of the efficiency losses during these primary photoreactions is essential for designing new and efficient photosensitizers. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are potentially interesting sensitizers having absorption in the red side of the optical spectrum and known to be efficient electron donors. However, the efficiencies of Pc-sensitized DSSCs are lower than that of the best DSSCs, which is commonly attributed to the aggregation tendency of Pcs. In this study, we employ ultrafast spectroscopy to discover why and how much does the aggregation affect the efficiency. The samples were prepared on a standard fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates covered by a porous layer of TiO2 nanoparticles, functionalized by a Pc sensitizer and filled by a hole transporting material (Spiro-MeOTAD). The study demonstrates that the aggregation can be suppressed gradually by using co-adsorbates, such as chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and oleic acid, but rather high concentrations of co-adsorbate is required. Gradually, a few times improvement of quantum efficiency was observed at sensitizer/co-adsorbate ratio Pc/CDCA = 1:10 and higher. The time-resolved spectroscopy studies were complemented by standard photocurrent measurements of the same sample structures, which also confirmed gradual increase in photon-to-current conversion efficiency on mixing Pc with CDCA.

U2 - 10.1021/acsomega.8b00600

DO - 10.1021/acsomega.8b00600

M3 - Article

VL - 3

SP - 4947

EP - 4958

JO - ACS Omega

JF - ACS Omega

SN - 2470-1343

IS - 5

ER -