Relating Electron Donor and Carboxylic Acid Anchoring Substitution Effects in Azo Dyes to Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Performance

The relationship between the molecular structures of a series of azo dyes and their operational performance when applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is probed via experimental and computational analysis. Seven azo dyes, with three different donating groups (dimethylamino, diethylamino, and dipropylamino) and carboxylic acid anchoring positions (<i>ortho</i>-, <i>meta</i>-, and <i>para</i>-substituted phenyl rings) are studied. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction is employed in order to analyze the effects of conformation and quantify the contribution of quinoidal resonance forms to the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), which controls their intrinsic photovoltaic potential from an electronic standpoint. Harmonic oscillator stabilization energy (HOSE) calculations indicate that the <i>para</i>- and <i>ortho</i>-azo dyes exhibit potential for DSSC application. However, from a geometrical standpoint, the crystal structure data, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), and density functional theory (DFT) all indicate that intramolecular hydrogen bonds form in <i>ortho</i>-dyes within both solid and solution states, impeding their intrinsic ICT-based photovoltaic potential, and offering insights into the photostability of azo dyes and the dye···TiO₂ anchoring mechanism in DSSCs. Donor effects are manifested in the packing mode and molecular planarity revealed by X-ray crystallography and in the UV/vis absorption spectra. DFT and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) were performed to understand the electronic and optical properties of these azo dyes; these calculations compare well with experimental findings. Operational tests of DSSCs, functionalized by these azo dyes, show that the carboxylic acid anchoring position plays a crucial role in DSSC performance, while donating groups offer a much less obvious effect on the overall DSSC device efficiency