Novel Polymeric Metal Complexes for Dye Sensitizer: Synthesis and Photovoltaic Performances

Four novel polymeric metal complexes with a D–A–π–A motif, BDTT-PY-Cd, BDTT-PY-Zn, BDTT-PY-Cu and BDTT-PY-Ni, were designed, synthesized and characterized. These polymeric metal complexes were made up with Cd(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) complexes, thienylbenzo-[1,2-b:4,5-b'] dithiophene (BDTT) and the 8-quinolinol derivative, which were used severally as dye sensitzers’ auxiliary electron acceptors (A), electron donor (D) and π bridges as well as the acceptors (A). Under AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm −2 ), the devices of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) based on four polymer complexes exhibited short-circuit photocurrent densities ( J sc ) of 17.45 mA cm −2 , 14.75 mA cm −2 , 13.94 mA cm −2 and 12.00 mA cm −2 , as well as attractive power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of were 9.73%, 8.02%, 6.82% and 6.12%, respectively. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) and short-circuit photocurrent density ( J sc ) of BDTT-PY-Cd, BDTT-PY-Zn, BDTT-PY-Cu and BDTT-PY-Ni decrease in order because the radius and charge number of the metal ion affect the strength of the coordination bond between the metal ion and the ligand. These results provides a new way of development for efficient and stable dye sensitizers in the future.