4th Commonwealth Chemistry Posters

CV and UV of bis(2,2':6',2"-terpyridine)ruthenium – application in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

Nandisiwe Mateyise , Marrigje Marianne Conradie, Jeanet Conradie Department of Chemistry, University of the Free State, South Africa

Solar energy is a renewable and virtually inexhaustible source of energy. As long as the sun exists, we can harness its energy. This makes it a sustainable and environmentally friendly option for meeting our energy needs, unlike finite fossil fuels that will eventually run out. A Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC), also known as a Grätzel cell, is a type of solar cell that utilizes a unique mechanism to convert sunlight into electricity. 1 An experimental study, utilizing UV-visible spectroscopy and electrochemistry, and a theoretical study, employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, are presented to evaluate the application of bis(2,2':6',2"-terpyridine)ruthenium as a dye sensitizer or a redox mediator in DSSCs. The DFT study shows that the HOMO and LUMO energies are favorable for bis(2,2':6',2"-terpyridine)ruthenium to be considered as a dye in DSSCs. However, the redox potentials of bis(2,2':6',2"-terpyridine)ruthenium, as obtained from the electrochemistry study, indicate that it cannot be used as a redox mediator in DSSCs. References 1. B. O’Regan, M. Grätzel, A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films, Nature. 353 (1991) 737–740. doi:10.1038/353737a0

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