A novel metal-free panchromatic TiO2 sensitizer based on a phenylenevinylene-conjugated unit and an indoline derivative for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

A novel donor-π-spacer-acceptor type organic dye (AK01) bearing a phenylenevinylene-conjugated system and a derivative of indoline donor was synthesized for dye-sensitized solar cells. AK01 showed panchromatic TiO(2) sensitization with high overall conversion efficiency of 6.2% under AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW cm(-2)).