2-(3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethylfuran-2(5H)-ylidene)malononitrile functionalized diketopyrrolopyrrole: Synthesis and solar cell applications

Abstract

Diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) functionalized with 2-(3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethylfuran-2(5H)-ylidene) malononitrile (TCF) material coined as DPP-TCF was designed and synthesized. DPP-TCF exhibited strong absorption bands in solution as well as thin-film form. Herein, we report construction of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on DPP-TCF anchored on CdS nanowires (NWs) coated on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate with the device architecture FTO/CdS compact/CdS nanowire/DPP-TCF chromophore/electrolyte/ platinum coated FTO. As-fabricated DSSC device based on DPP-TCF and CdS nanowires exhibited power conversion efficiency (Eta) of 0.427 percent. Thus, the present work successfully displayed the utilization of DPPTCF as an efficient light harvester in DSSC applications. This approach can also be employed to design and development of other DPP based organic molecular chromophores for DSSC applications.