Novel Solid-State Solar Cell Based on Hole-Conducting MOF-Sensitizer Demonstrating Power Conversion Efficiency of 2.1%

This work reports on designing of first successful MOF-sensitizer based solid-state photovoltaic device, perticularly with a meaningful output power conversion efficiency. In this study, an intrinsically conductive cobalt-based MOFs (Co-DAPV) formed by the coordination between Co (II) ions and a redox active di(3-diaminopropyl)-viologen (i.e., DAPV) ligand is investigated as sensitizer. Hall-effect measurement shows p-type conductivity of the Co-DAPV film with hole mobility of 0.017 cm² V^-1 s^-1, suggesting its potential application as hole transporting sensitizer. Further, the energy levels of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of Co-DAPV are well-matched to be suitably employed for sensitizing TiO₂. Thus, by layer-by-layer deposition of hole conducting MOF-sensitizer onto mesoporous TiO₂ film, a power conversion efficiency of as high as 2.1% is achieved, which exceeds the highest efficiency values of MOF-sensitized liquid-junction solar cells reported so far.