High performance arylamine-based metallated and metal-free organic photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells

Increasing energy demands and environmental concerns about global warming have led to a greater focus on the development of renewable energy sources. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years as they offer the possibility of low-cost conversion of photovoltaic energy. In particular, triarylamine functionalized organic photosensitizers show high molar absorption coefficients in the visible spectral region, good dye aggregation resistance and reliable electrochemical and thermal stabilities. This review emphasizes the recent developments and strategies employed in the structural design of arylamine-based metallated and metal-free organic photosensitizers. The influences of molecular structural engineering on photophysical and electrochemical properties along with photovoltaic parameters and the efficiency of DSSCs are presented. Hence, by drawing a correlation among the structures of arylamine-derived photosensitizers, their properties and photovoltaic parameters of DSSCs, it will be useful in optimizing new dyes for the generation of efficient photovoltaic cells for energy production. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.