New triphenylamine-based sensitizers bearing double anchoring units for dye-sensitized solar cells

Two organic sensitizers (LI-33 and LI-34) with double anchoring units were synthesized and utilized for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which contained thiophene or vinyl thiophene as π-bridge. The introduction of double anchoring units can change their absorption spectra and energy levels in a large degree, thus, the better light-harvesting ability and the convenient electron transfer along the whole molecule can be obtained. The solar cell based on LI-34 exhibited a broad incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectrum and high conversion efficiency (η=6.05%) with coadsorbent CDCA.