Photosensitization of a porous TiO2 electrode with merocyanine dyes containing a carboxyl group and a long alkyl chain

Porous TiO2 electrodes sensitized using merocyanine dyes containing a carboxyl group and a long alkyl chain, in particular 3-carboxymethyl-5-[2-(3-alkyl-2-benzothiazoli-nyldene)ethylidene]-2-thioxo-4-thiazolidinone, showed remarkably high solar-energy efficiency (4.2%, AM-1.5, 100 mW cm(-2)).