Two-Step Synthetic Route to BODIPY Dyes for Solar Cell Applications

Two-Step Synthetic Route to BODIPY Dyes for Solar Cell Applications

    Presenter(s)

    John Connor Quinn

    Description

    Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) are beginning to show great promise as an alternative energy source, but the cost and lack of efficiency of most current dyes remains a problem. A series of BODIPY dyes have been synthesized by a two-step synthetic route to provide a solution. A dipyrrin was formed through the reaction of either napthyl[1,2-c]pyrrole or fluorantho[2,3-c]pyrrole with one of several aromatic aldehydes in a solid state reaction. The resulting dipyrrins were reacted with boron trifluoride to give a series of highly conjugated BODIPY dyes. Upon analyzing the photophysical properties of the dyes with UV-VIS and fluorescence spectroscopy, it was found that using the more highly conjugated fluoranthro[2,3-c]pyrrole to form the dipyrrin core results in a favorable red shift of about 50 nm, as compared to more modest shifts as a result of changing the aldehyde. Cyclic voltametry also demonstrated a stabilization of the LUMO energy of the dyes formed from the more highly conjugated pyrrole. All of the dyes display molar absorptivities greater than 100 000 M−1 cm−1 with photoluminescence quantum efficiencies of 0.5–1.0, and the HOMO and LUMO energies of the dyes further illustrate the suitability of these dyes for use in DSSCs.

    Publication Date

    4-5-2017

    Project Designation

    Independent Research - Undergraduate

    Primary Advisor

    Shawn M. Swavey

    Primary Advisor's Department

    Chemistry

    Keywords

    Stander Symposium project

    Two-Step Synthetic Route to BODIPY Dyes for Solar Cell Applications

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