Two main chain polymeric metal complexes as dye sensitizers for dye‐sensitized solar cells based on the coordination of the ligand containing 8‐hydroxyquinoline and phenylethyl or fluorene units with Eu(III)

Two novel main chain polymeric metal complexes containing 8-hydroxyquinoline europium complexes and phenylethyl or fluorene units: 1,4-Dioctyloxy-2,5-bis[2-(8-hydroxyquinoline)-vinyl]-benzene Eu(III) (3) and 2,7-bis[2-(8-hydroxyquinoline)-vinyl]-9,9′-diocthylfluorene Eu(III) (4) with donor–acceptor-π-conjugated structure (D-π-A) have been synthesized and investigated as dye sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells dyes (DSSCs). They have been determined and studied by FT-IR, TGA, DSC, GPC, Elemental analysis, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as dye sensitizers. On the basis of optimized dye and molecular structure, they have shown solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency 2.25% for 3 (Jsc = 4.77 mA cm−2, Voc = 630 mV, FF = 0.75) and 3.04% for 4 (Jsc = 6.33 mA cm−2, Voc = 640 mV, FF = 0.75), under the illumination of AM1.5G, 100 mW/cm2. The IPCE of 3 and 4 are 30% and 46% at 400 nm, respectively. Besides, they showed good stabilities with thermal decomposition temperatures at 280 °C and 225 °C, respectively, which are suitable for DSSCs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1943–1951, 2010