Aqueous electrolyte based dye-sensitized solar cells using organic sensitizers

Two novel organic sensitizers containing a 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl unit are designed and synthesized. Under standard global AM 1.5 solar conditions, the JK-262 sensitized cell in conjunction with an aqueous electrolyte gave a short-circuit photocurrent density (J(sc)) of 3.78 mA cm(-2), an open-circuit voltage (V-oc) of 0.68 V, and a fill factor of 0.82, affording an overall conversion efficiency (eta) of 2.10%. The eta of JK-262 is higher than that of JK-259 due to the larger J(sc). The improved J(sc) value is attributable to the broad and red-shifted absorption band as well as the dense packing of JK-262 on the TiO2 film.