The first examples of di-branched di-anchoring organic sensitizers were synthesized and used in dye-sensitized solar cells leading to red-shifted IPCE maxima and increased photocurrent when compared to the corresponding mono-branched mono-anchoring dye, yielding power conversion efficiency of 5.7% (4.9% with ionic liquid electrolyte) with enhanced stability under 1 sun conditions from the di-anchoring groups.

A novel heteroleptic ruthenium complex carrying a heteroaromatic-4,4′-π-conjugated 2,2′-bipyridine [Ru(II)LL′(NCS)₂] (L = 4,4′-bis[(E)-2-(3,4-ethylenedioxythien-2-yl)vinyl]-2,2′-bipyridine, L′ = 4,4′-(dicarboxylic acid)-2,2′-bipyridine) was synthesized and used in dye-sensitized solar cells, yielding photovoltaic efficiencies of 9.1% under standard global AM 1.5 sunlight.

Ru(II) heteroleptic complexes as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are presented. The article outlines design strategies, synthetic routes, optical and photovoltaic properties of ruthenium dyes based on polypyridines as ancillary ligands containing π-conjugated electron-rich heteroaromatic groups. The integration of donor heteroaromatic substituents, typically thiophene-based moieties, strongly improves the optical properties of the sensitizers in terms of bathochromic and hyperchromic shift compared to prototypical dyes N3 and N719. These favorable properties in turn yield DSCs with superior light harvesting abilities, higher external quantum efficiencies, improved device photocurrents, and top-ranked power conversion efficiencies. In combination with excellent stabilities under thermal stress and light soaking, this class of DSC photosensitizer has great potential for practical applications.

A glucose-functionalized phenothiazine dye gave efficient activities compared to the common hydrophilic triethylene glycol derivative as a consequence of improved wettability and peculiar features of the sugar functionality.