Dissertation
Investigation of dibenzo[b,j][1,10]phenanthroline and N-propanoic acid spiropyrans and spirooxazines for use in dye-sensitized solar cells
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Jul 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-7133
Abstract
Finding alternative energy sources is one of the great problems of science today. One potential solution, the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been studied thoroughly since its discovery in 1991. They are composed of a sensitizing dye adsorbed on to the surface of a semiconducting metal oxide. Much research has been done trying to improve the DSSC efficiency, mainly by creating new derivatives of the sensitizing dye. However, despite the large number of derivatives made, most have utilized the same strategy of extending conjugation to increase overall efficiency. In this work, I investigated a different class of compounds, the dibenzo[b,j][1,10]phenanthrolines, which highlight the effect of extended aromaticity on the properties of ruthenium-based DSSCs. First, I developed a synthetic scheme which improves upon those used before, opening up the possibility of creating a library of compounds to be used for future investigations. Second, the chemistry of these compounds was investigated, which was shown to be different from the [1,10]phenanthrolines. Specifically, they were shown to be more sensitive to oxidative, reductive, and alkaline conditions, along with being more resistant to formation via the Pd-catalyzed dehydrogenation. Finally, these compounds were evaluated for their ability to form a DSSC, showing low conversion efficiencies, but with promise for better results in the future. This lays the groundwork for the creation of a library of DSSCs based on this backbone. As well, we report the creation of color-changing dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using N-propanoic functionalized spiropyrans and spirooxazines. We investigated the photophysical properties of these compounds in various solvents and pH conditions using UV-Vis spectroscopy, and their behavior on a TiO2 surface using a combination of UV-Vis and FT-IR. Their performance as sensitizing dyes for DSSCs was analyzed. This study reveals a number of properties for this class of compounds that affect their performance as both photochromic compounds and DSSC sensitizers, which allow for future creation of an efficient photochromic DSSC.
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Details
- Title
- Investigation of dibenzo[b,j][1,10]phenanthroline and N-propanoic acid spiropyrans and spirooxazines for use in dye-sensitized solar cells
- Creators
- Noah Johnson - DU
- Contributors
- Haifeng Ji (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Arts and Sciences; Chemistry; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 7133; 991014632688904721