The development of thin-layer transparent solar cells based on dye sensitization of nanocrystalline
n-type TiO2 undertaken at the Laboratory of Inorganic Photochemistry and Energy Conversion
at the Chemistry Institute of Universidade de São Paulo is presented. Compounds of the formula cis-
[(dcbH2)2RuLL ],
L,L′ = substituted pyridines, as nanocrystalline TiO2, dcbH2=4,4′−(CO2H)2−2,2′-bipyridine and L,L′ = substituted pyridines, have been successfully
employed as molecular sensitizers in photoelectrochemical solar cells based on dye-sensitization
of n-TiO2. This regenerative solar cell consists of a TCO glass with a dye-sensitized TiO2 semiconductor film as a photoanode, I2/LiI solution in acetonitrile as a redox mediator and a transparent Pt coated TCO glass
as a counter electrode. Efficient conversion of visible light into electricity was achieved with IPCE (Incident
Photon-to-Current Conversion Efficiency) as high as 50% between 400 and 550 nm.