HOPV12 - Blogs

4 th Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaic Conference -Uppsala 2012 48
B13 - High-Performance Thiocyanate-Free Ruthenium DSSC Dyes
Curtis Berlinguette
University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, CA
Centre for Advanced Solar Materials, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, CA
High power output in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) had, until only very recently, been
achieved by sensitizing TiO2 with dyes related to [Ru(dcbpy)2(NCS)2] (1; dcbpy = dicarboxy-
2,2`-bipyridine). Departing from this line of inquiry, our program has focused on the
development of cyclometalated Ru(II) complexes of type [RuII(N^N)2(C^N)]z and
[RuII(N^N^N)2(N^C^N)]z to accomplish the requisite light-absorption and charge-separation
events.1-4 This class of molecules offers a distinct advantage over 1 for DSSC applications
because the replacement of the NCS- ligands with aromatic ligands presents the opportunity to
manipulate both the ground- and excited-state energy levels.2
Moreover, these complexes are devoid of NCS- ligands - a potential source of degradation in
the DSSC - that are common to 1 and other commercially relevant dyes. This presentation will
outline our specific strategies for tuning the absorption profiles of these complexes and
optimizing their regeneration by electrolytes in pursuit of robust, high-performance DSSC
dyes.
References
[1] Bomben, P. G.; Robson, K. C. D.; Sedach, P.; Berlinguette, C. P. “On the Viability of Cyclometalated Ru(II)
Complexes for Light-Harvesting Applications” Inorg. Chem. 48, 9631-9643 (2009).
[2] Bomben, P. G.; Koivisto, B. D.; Berlinguette, C. P. “Cyclometalated Ru(II) Complexes of Type *RuII(N^N)2(C^N)+z:
Physicochemical Response to Substituents Installed on the Anionic Ligand” Inorg. Chem. 49, 4960-4971 (2010)
[3] Robson, K. C. D.; Sporinova, B.; Koivisto, B. D.; Baumgartner, T.; Yella, A.; Nazeeruddin, M. K.; Grӓtzel, M.;
Berlinguette, C. P. “Design and Development of Functionalized Cyclometalated Ruthenium Chromophores for Light-
Harvesting Applications” Inorg. Chem. 50 (12), 5494-5508 (2011)
[4]Bomben, P. G.; Gordon, T. J.; Schott, E.; Berlinguette, C. P. “A Trisheteroleptic Sensitizer that Enables High Power
Output in the Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell” Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 50, 10682-10685 (2011).
© SEFIN 2012