Remarkable Improvement in Sensitizing Property of Tetraphenylporphyrincarboxylic Acids as Sensitizers for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells by the Introduction of Trimethylsilyl Groups as Substituents

The effects of the introduction of alkylsilyl groups to porphyrin dyes on their sensitizing property in dye-sensitized solar cells were investigated by using a newly synthesized tetraphenylporphyrincarboxylic acid containing trimethylsilyl groups. The cell with the porphyrin showed higher photovoltaic performance than that with a tert-butyl-containing analog, and the zinc complex of the porphyrin exhibited remarkably high sensitizing performance comparable to N3 dye.