Functionalized pentacenes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Carboxylic acid functionalized pentacene-based dyes are synthesized and tested in dye-sensitized solar cells utilizing titania (rutile) nanowire arrays as the electron transporting photoanode. Functionalization on both chromophore and solubilizing substitutents leads to materials demonstrating promising light-harvesting and energy-conversion properties in these large polycyclic aromatic compounds.