Synthesis and Characterization of Phenothiazine - Graphene Hybrid Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC)

Abstract

The Dye-Sensitized Solar cells (DSSCs), first described by Grätzel and O'Reagan in 1991, are to date one of the least improved photovoltaic technologies compared to similar third generation solar cells. This fact, opens up routes for extensive research to improve efficiencies and lifetimes.

With the goal of researching the effect of phenothiazine based dyes covalently grafted onto exfoliated graphene sheets, this study explores the synthesis of two new phenothiazine-graphene hybrids by using microwave assisted Bingel reaction conditions. Additionally ways to synthesize more complex hybrids following the D-D-π-A structure have been investigated.

To characterize the phenothiazine graphene hybrids, Raman spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis and Photoluminescence spectroscopy were employed.

Both hybrids, 17a and 17b, were successfully synthesized. The weight ratio of dye to graphene was calculated to be 13% for the hybrid 17b