Dyes, dye-sensitized solar cells, and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

Provided herein are dyes, dye-sensitized solar cells, and sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell devices. The dyes include an electron deficient acceptor moiety, a medium electron density π-bridge moiety, and an electron rich donor moiety comprising a biaryl, a substituted biaryl, or an R1, R2, R3 substituted phenyl where each of R1, R2, and R3 independently comprises H, aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, OR4, N(R5)2, or a combination thereof, each R4 independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof; and each R5 independently comprises aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, or a combination thereof. The solar cells include a glass substrate, a dye-sensitized active layer, and a redox shuttle. The devices include at least two dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dye, comprising:
 an electron deficient acceptor moiety;   a medium electron density π-bridge moiety; and   an electron rich donor moiety comprising a biaryl, a substituted biaryl, or a moiety having the following structure:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, multiaryl, fused aryl, fused multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, OR 4 , or a combination thereof; and 
         wherein each R 4  independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof. 
       
     
     
         2 . The dye of  claim 1 , wherein the donor moiety comprises: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and
 wherein n is between 1 and 30. 
 
     
     
         3 . The dye of  claim 1 , wherein the dye comprises: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         4 . The dye of  claim 1 , wherein the substituted biaryl comprises an alkyl or alkoxy substituted biaryl. 
     
     
         5 . The dye of  claim 4 , wherein the alkyl substituted biaryl comprises the structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and
 wherein n is between 1 and 30. 
 
     
     
         6 . The dye of  claim 4 , wherein the alkoxy substituted biaryl comprises the structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and
 wherein n is between 1 and 30. 
 
     
     
         7 . The dye of  claim 1 , wherein the π-bridge moiety comprises: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or derivatives thereof;
 wherein each X independently comprises H, F, CN, or CO 2 R; and 
 wherein each R independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
         8 . The dye of  claim 1 , wherein the acceptor moiety comprises: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or derivatives thereof; and
 wherein each R independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
         9 . A sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell comprising:
 three dye-sensitized subcells mechanically stacked and connected in series, each of the subcells comprising;
 a glass substrate coated with a transparent conductive film; 
 a dye-sensitized active layer; and 
 a redox shuttle; 
   wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of at least the first subcell is sensitized with a dye comprising the dye of  claim 1 , D35, B11, Y123, or Black Dye.   
     
     
         10 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 9 , further comprising a UV cutoff filter. 
     
     
         11 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 9 , wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of the first subcell has a thickness of between 0.8 and 3.0 m. 
     
     
         12 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 11 , wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of the second subcell has a thickness of between 1.5 and 5.0 m. 
     
     
         13 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 9 , further comprising an antireflective coating applied over a non-conductive side of at least one of a photoanode and a cathode of one or more of the dye-sensitized solar cells. 
     
     
         14 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 9 , further comprising an immersion oil positioned between at least two of the subcells. 
     
     
         15 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 9 , wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of the first subcell is sensitized with a dye comprising: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         16 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 9 , wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of at least the first and second subcells is sensitized with a dye comprising the dye of  claim 1 , D35, B11, Y123, or Black Dye. 
     
     
         17 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 9 , wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of each of the subcells is sensitized with a dye comprising the dye of  claim 1 , D35, B11, Y123, or Black Dye. 
     
     
         18 . A sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell comprising:
 at least two dye-sensitized subcells mechanically stacked and connected in series, each of the subcells comprising;
 a glass substrate coated with a transparent conductive; 
 a dye-sensitized active layer; and 
 a redox shuttle; and 
   at least one additional subcell mechanically stacked and connected in series;   wherein the at least one additional subcell is an inorganic solar cell.   
     
     
         19 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 18 , wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of the first subcell has a thickness of between 0.8 and 3.0 μm. 
     
     
         20 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 19 , wherein the dye-sensitized active layer of the second subcell has a thickness of between 1.5 and 5.0 μm.