Metal complex useful as sensitizer, dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode and solar cell using same

• US 6,278,056 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1999
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrial Science & Technology KOZO Iizuka Director-General of Agency
• Original Assignee: Director-General of the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Japan (Government of Japan)
• Inventors: Graetzel, Michael, Singh, Lok Pratap, Sugihara, Hideki, Arakawa, Hironori, Sayama, Kazuhiro, Nazeeruddin, Mohammad Khaja
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAMOND, ALAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/271,163
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 136/252, 136/263, 136/256, 257/40, 257/428, 257/431, 429/111, 546/2, 546/8, 546/9, 546/10, 546/11, 546/12, 548/101, 548/107, 548/108, 548/109, 556/137, 556/138, 556/140, 556/145, 556/146
• US Class Current: 136/263
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2031 comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 H01G9/2036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2059 comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/344 comprising ruthenium
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/542 Dye sensitized solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

A metal complex represented by the formula:

(X)_nML¹L², (X)₂M(L¹)₂ or (L¹)₂ML²

wherein M represents a Group VIII metal, X represents a polar group, L¹ represents a phenanthroline containing at least one carboxyl group which may be neutralized, L² represents a nitrogen-containing polycyclic compound which may contain one or more substituents, and n is an integer of 1 or 2. A dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode includes an electrically conductive body, an oxide semiconductor film provided on a surface of the electrically conductive body, and the above metal complex. A solar cell may be constructed from the above dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode, a counter electrode, and a redox electrolyte contacting with both electrodes.

Claims

1. A metal complex represented by the following formula:

4. A dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode comprising an electrically conductive body, an oxide semiconductor film provided on a surface of said electrically conductive body, and the metal complex according to claim 1 adsorbed on said film.

5. A solar cell comprising the dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode according to claim 4, a counter electrode, and a redox electrolyte contacting with said dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode and said counter electrode.

10. A metal complex according to claim 1 wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ru, Os, Pd, Rh and Ir.

13. A metal complex according to claim 1 wherein X is a polar group selected from the group consisting of halogen, a thiocyanate group, a hydroxyl group, a cyan group, an isocyanate group and a selenocyan group.

15. A metal complex according to claim 1 wherein L² is a compound selected from the group consisting of bipyridine, biquinoline, terpyridine, 2,5-dipyridyl-1,3,4-triazole and 2,6-dibenzoimidazorylpyridine and said compounds substituted by C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, amino and amino substituted with at least one C1-C4 alkyl.

2. A metal complex represented by the following formula:

6. A dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode comprising an electrically conductive body, an oxide semiconductor film provided on a surface of said electrically conductive body, and the metal complex according to claim 2 adsorbed on said film.

8. A solar cell comprising the dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode according to claim 6, a counter electrode, and a redox electrolyte contacting with said dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode and said counter electrode.

11. A metal complex according to claim 2 wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ru, Os, Pd, Rh and Ir.

14. A metal complex according to claim 2 wherein X is a polar group selected from the group consisting of halogen, a thiocyanate group, a hydroxyl group, a cyan group, an isocyanate group and a selenocyan group.

3. A metal complex represented by the following formula:

7. A dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode comprising an electrically conductive body, an oxide semiconductor film provided on a surface of said electrically conductive body, and the metal complex according to claim 3 adsorbed on said film.

9. A solar cell comprising the dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode according to claim 7, a counter electrode, and a redox electrolyte contacting with said dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode and said counter electrode.

12. A metal complex according to claim 3 wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ru, Os, Pd, Rh and Ir.

16. A metal complex according to claim 3 wherein L² is a compound selected from the group consisting of bipyridine, biquinoline, terpyridine, 2,5-dipyridyl-1,3,4-triazole and 2,6-dibenzoimidazorylpyridine and said compounds substituted by C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, amino and amino substituted with at least one C1-C4 alkyl.