Molecular Engineering of Zinc Phthalocyanines with Phosphinic Acid Anchoring Groups

Anchors away! Two zinc phthalocyanine photosensitizers with different phosphinic acid anchor groups were synthesized (see scheme). Solar cells sensitized with these compounds have a short-circuit photocurrent density of 7.6±0.2 mA cm−2, an open-circuit voltage of 559±30 mV, and a fill factor of 0.76±0.03, which corresponds to an overall conversion efficiency of 3.24 % under 1 sun.