Executive Summary : | The project focuses on synthesizing electrophilic benzannulated heterocycles into heteroacenes for material applications. The reactions are designed to have both a nucleophilic and electrophilic center, resulting in an annulated product. The project has published 10 papers in international journals. Dye-sensitized cells (DSCs) have proven to be the best photovoltaic technology for harnessing indoor/artificial light, with efficiencies reaching up to 35%. DSCs offer immense potential for commercializing indoor photovoltaics, replacing one-time use batteries and reducing the associated carbon footprint. The project involved designing, synthesizing, and screening 31 organic dyes for performance in full sun and indoor environments. Several dyes perform well in full sun but not in low light, due to factors like donor unit nature, molecular planarity, and donor-acceptor interactions. The project aims to synthesize cost-effective, scalable, and high-performing organic dyes compatible with the new generation of alternate copper redox mediators for indoor photovoltaic applications. The major output will be highly efficient, stable, and cost-effective organic dyes for application in dye-sensitized solar cell modules, integrated into indoor and outdoor applications. The signature dyes with higher efficiencies will be taken up, and large area modules and panels will be fabricated to study their long-term stability. The project aims to develop a few products with the best dye by the end of the project. |