Spectroscopic detection of halogen bonding resolves dye regeneration in the dye-sensitized solar cell

Parlane, Fraser G. L.; Mustoe, Chantal; Kellett, Cameron W.; Simon, Sarah J.; Swords, Wesley B.; Meyer, Gerald J.; Kennepohl, Pierre; Berlinguette, Curtis P.

doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01726-7

Title: Spectroscopic detection of halogen bonding resolves dye regeneration in the dye-sensitized solar cell

Journal Article · Fri Nov 24 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01726-7· OSTI ID:1523468

Parlane, Fraser G. L. ^[1]; Mustoe, Chantal ^[2]; Kellett, Cameron W. ^[2]; Simon, Sarah J. ^[2]; Swords, Wesley B. ^[3]; Meyer, Gerald J. ^[3];

^[2];

^[4]

Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada). Dept. of Chemistry and Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Inst.
Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada). Dept. of Chemistry
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada). Dept. of Chemistry, Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Inst. and Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering

The interactions between a surface-adsorbed dye and a soluble redox-active electrolyte species in the dye-sensitized solar cell has a significant impact on the rate of regeneration of photo-oxidized dye molecules and open-circuit voltage of the device. Dyes must therefore be designed to encourage these interfacial interactions, but experimentally resolving how such weak interactions affect electron transfer is challenging. Herein, we use X-ray absorption spectroscopy to confirm halogen bonding can exist at the dye-electrolyte interface. Using a known series of triphenylamine-based dyes bearing halogen substituents geometrically positioned for reaction with halides in solution, halogen bonding was detected only in cases where brominated and iodinated dyes were photo-oxidized. This result implies that weak intermolecular interactions between photo-oxidized dyes and the electrolyte can impact device photovoltages. This result was unexpected considering the low concentration of oxidized dyes (less than 1 in 100,000) under full solar illumination.

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Research Organization:: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0013461

OSTI ID:: 1523468

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Vol. 8, Issue 1; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 33 works

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