Spectroscopic, electrochemical and photophysical properties of the novel complex tetracyano-1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione-ruthenate(II) and its application as a sensitizer in solar cells

ABATE, PEDRO O.; POSSE, MÓNICA E. GARCÍA; VERGARA, MÓNICA M.; FAGALDE, FLORENCIA; ORTIZ, JUAN H. MECCHIA; VIEYRA, FAUSTINO E. MORÁN; BORSARELLI, CLAUDIO D.; LONGO, CLAUDIA; KATZ, NÉSTOR E.

INORGANICA CHIMICA ACTA

ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA

Año: 2020 vol. 512

0020-1693

The new complex tetracyano-1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione-ruthenate(II) was synthesizedas potassium and bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium salts and characterized by spectroscopic,electrochemical and photophysical techniques, with experimental results in agreement withquantum-mechanical calculations by Density Functional Theory. The structure of this anionwas determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Although it emits weakly at roomtemperature in water with a lifetime in the nanosecond regime, the quinone moiety of thecoordinated phenanthroline ligand allows its anchoring to mesoporous titanium dioxidefilms, thus leading to its application as a sensitizer in solar cells. Irradiated with a solarsimulator, cells assembled with these dye-sensitized films, platinum as counter-electrodesand iodine/iodide redox mediators dissolved in acetonitrile or dimethylformamide, exhibitincreasing efficiency of conversion of light into electrical energy with decreasing acceptornumber of the solvent.