LAUSR

Donor–acceptor–π bridge–acceptor (D–A–π–A) dyes are promising sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). With the aim to obtain high conversion efficiencies solar cells, three novel D–A–π–A efficient sensitizers coded PIDT–NCo, PIDT–NZn and PIDT–NCd had been synthesized and applied to DSSCs. These sensitizers adopting Co(II), Zn(II) or Cd(II) complexes as auxiliary electron acceptors (A), indacenodithiophene (IDT) derivatives as electron donor (D) and 8-quinolinol derivative as π bridge and acceptor (A). The results of photovoltaic test indicated that the three polymeric metal complex dye sensitizers have relatively higher performance among polymer dye sensitizers, and the device sensitized by PIDT–NCd shows the highest power conversion efficiency of 6.43% under simulate AM 1.5 G solar irradiation. Besides all dyes exhibited excellent thermal stability (Td > 320 °C). The research data have potential values for the development of coordination chemistry and provided a brand new idea to design efficient polymer dyes for DSSCs.