The effect of molecular aggregates over the interfacial charge transfer processes on dye sensitized solar cells

The electron transfer reaction between the photoinjected electrons in the nanocrystalline TiO2 mesoporous sensitized films and the oxidized electrolyte in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) plays a major role on the device efficiency. In this communication we show that, although the presence of molecular aggregates on the free base porphyrin DSSC limits the device photocurrent response under illumination, they form an effective hydrophobic barrier against the oxidized electrolyte impeding fast back-electron transfer kinetics. Therefore, their drawback can be overcome by designing dyes with peripheral moieties that prevent the formation of the aggregates and are able to achieve efficiencies as high as 3.2% under full sun. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.