COLSOLAR Organic Dyes for the Preparation of solar cells (DSSC Dye Sensitized Solar Cells)

Dr. Juan Luis Delgado

Funding : Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. CTQ2011-27934.

Duration: 2012 - 2012

12 months

The development of new dyes for the preparation of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, is a hot topic, due to the increassing global energy demand, which produce enhanced depletion of fossil fuels reserves, leading to further aggravation of the environmental pollution.

So far, a few examples of DSSC leading to power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 11 % have been described, although further research is needed, in order to increasse the PCE and the stability of the devices.

In this research project, from a chemical viewpoint, we describe the  reasonable synthesis of new dyes, based on metallic complex, organic compounds and quantum dots, in order to increase the capability of these systems to harvest sunlight and therefore prepare new efficient photovoltaic devices.

Here we propose the synthesis of new mono and dinuclear metalic complexes, bearing light harvesting moieties, in order to increase the capability to harvest sunlight of these compounds and therefore the PCE.

Other proposed approach consist on the synthesis of new acceptor units for the preparation of Donor-π-Acceptor systems, with stronger charge transfer properties, in order to increase the light harvesting proeprties of these systems.

Finally, we will use quantum dots as sensitizers in the preparation of DSSC. Through suitable control of the size we expect to control the absorption properties of the QD, and therefore increase the efficiency of the devices.