D–π–A system based on zinc porphyrin dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells: Combined experimental and DFT–TDDFT study

Narra, Vamsi K.; Ullah, Habib; Singh, Varun K.; Giribabu, Lingamallu; Senthilarasu, Sundaram; Karazhanov, S.Zh.; Tahir, Asif A.; Mallick, Tapas K.; Upadhyaya, Hari M.

Abstract

A series of four new porphyrin-furan dyads were designed and synthesized by having anchoring group either at meso-phenyl or pyrrole-β position of a zinc porphyrin based on donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) approach. The porphyrin macrocycle acts as donor, furan hetero cycle acts as π-spacer and either cyanoacetic acid or malonic acid group acts as acceptor. These dyads were fully characterized by UV–Visible, 1H NMR, MALDI-MS and fluorescence spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry. Both of the observed and TD-DFT simulated UV–Vis spectra has strong correlation which validate and confirm the synthesized dyads and theoretical method for this type of compounds. Both soret and Q-bands are red shifted in the case of pyrrole-β substituted dyads. The redox potentials of all four dyads are not altered in comparison with their individual constituents. The dyads were tested in dye sensitized solar cells and found pyrrole-β substituted zinc porphyrins are showing better performance in comparison with the corresponding meso-phenyl dyads. Optical band gap, Natural bonding, and Molecular bonding orbital (HOMO–LUMO) analysis are in favour of pyrrole-β substituted zinc porphyrins contrast to meso-phenyl dyads.

Citation

Narra, V. K., Ullah, H., Singh, V. K., Giribabu, L., Senthilarasu, S., Karazhanov, S., …Upadhyaya, H. M. (2015). D–π–A system based on zinc porphyrin dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells: Combined experimental and DFT–TDDFT study. Polyhedron, 100, 313-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2015.08.035

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 26, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Sep 1, 2015
• Publication Date: Nov 4, 2015
• Deposit Date: Mar 14, 2023
• Print ISSN: 0277-5387
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 100
• Pages: 313-320
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2015.08.035
• Keywords: Porphyrin, Furan, Redox electrolyte, Solar cells, DFT