Síntese e caracterização de complexos de rutênio para aplicação em células solares sensibilizadas por corante

Abstract

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) are devices capable of converting light into electricity. DSSCs are based on the absorption of light by a dye, which injects electrons into the conduction band of a semiconductor. This study aims to synthesize, characterize and employ as sensitizers the complexes [Ru(dcbpy)(bpy)(bqdi)], [Ru(dcbpy)(bpy)(bqdi-Cl)] and cis-[Ru(H2dcbpy)(bpy)(nic)Cl]PF6, where H2dcbpy and dcbpy are, respectively, 4,4’-dicarboxy-2,2’-bipyridine and its deprotonated form, bpy is 2,2’-bipyridine, bqdi is 1,2-benzoquinonediimine, bqdi-Cl is 4-chloro-1,2-benzoquinonediimine and nic is nicotinamide. The complexes were characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. These complexes showed broad metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorptions bands at about 520 nm. 1H NMR spectra for the compounds with bqdi and bqdi-Cl showed peaks consistent with the respective oxidized form. Cyclic voltammetry showed a significant positive shift in redox potential for the RuIII/II redox couple in comparison to the starting material. The photovoltaic performances of the solar cells based on these complexes are under investigation. The results for the sensitizers [Ru(dcbpy)(bpy)(bqdi)] and [Ru(dcbpy)(bpy)(bqdi-Cl)] were not promising. On the other hand, the results for cis-[Ru(H2dcbpy)(bpy)(nic)Cl]PF6 revealed a short-circuit current density of 2.4 mA cm-2, an open-circuit voltage of 610 mV and a fill factor of 0.73 under standard AM 1.5 sunlight. These results were lower than that obtained to N3, but it shows that this complex needs further investigation.