Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated with nanoporous TiO2 and TPD dyes: Analysis of penetration behavior and I–V characteristics

We present the synthesis, electrochemical properties and device-based investigation of triphenylene diamine (TPD) sensitizer with an extended π system consisting of donor, electron conducting and anchoring group for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells were fabricated using blocking TiO2 electrodes, nanoporous TiO2 electrodes and the organic hole-transporting medium, HTM (spiro-OMeTAD) in a fluorine doped tin oxide/blocking TiO2/nanoporous TiO2/TPDs/hole transport material/Au configuration. Solid state dye sensitized solar cell consisting of TPD_2 as sensitizer on mesoporous TiO2 shows the best results with a short-circuit current of 2.8 mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 835 mV and an overall conversion efficiency of 0.97%.