Theoretical investigations of metal-free dyes for solar cells: Effects of electron donor and acceptor groups on sensitizers

The adsorption of different model dyes on the anatase (101) TiO₂ surface has been investigated using density functional theory calculations. The main aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different strength of donor and acceptor groups which are substituted in the present organic dyes on the ability of electron injection to the surface. Analysis of the density of states (DOS) demonstrated that the increased strength of the donor and acceptor dyes shifts the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) values and decreases the band gap. The strength of the donor and acceptor parts is shown to be effective for the electron injection process. Our present results provide the possibility of the design strategy of dyes to achieve the best dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).