A fast approach to optimize dye loading of photoanode via ultrasonic technique for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

A distinctive method is proposed by simply utilizing ultrasonic technique in Ti02 electrode fabrication in order to improve the optoelectronic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells （DSSCs）. Dye molecules are at random and single molecular state in the ultrasonic field and the ultrasonic wave favors the diffusion and adsorption processes of dye molecules. As a result, the introduction of ultrasonic technique at room temperature leads to faster and more well-distributed dye adsorption on TiO2 as well as higher cell efficiency than regular deposition, thus the fabrication time is markedly reduced. It is found that the device based on 40 kHz ultrasonic （within 1 h） with N719 exhibits a Voc of 789 mV, Jsc of 14.94 mA]cm2 and fill factor （FF） of 69.3, yielding power conversion efficiency （PCE） of 8.16%, which is higher than device regularly dyed for 12 h （PCE = 8.06%）. In addition, the DSSC devices obtain the best efficiency （PCE = 8.68%） when the ultrasonic deposition time increases to 2.5 h. The DSSCs fabricated via ultrasonic technique presents more dye loading, larger photocurrent, less charge recombination and higher photovoltage. The charge extraction and electron impedance spectroscopy （EIS） were performed to understand the influence of ultrasonic technique on the electron recombination and performance of DSSCs.

Synthesis of an electron-rich aniline-containing dye and its dyeing behaviors on silk through a three-component Mannich-type reaction

Under the guidance of the finding that the tyrosine residues in proteins could undergo three-component Mannich-type reactions with formaldehyde and electron-rich aniline-containing compounds,which forms covalent bonding connections between the protein of interest and the aniline with high levels of selectivity under relatively mild conditions,an orange aromatic primary amine-containing acid dye AMODB was designed and readily synthesized.The molecular structure was characterized by FTIR,^1H NMR,mass spectrometry and elemental analysis.The synthesized dye and a similar control dye（C.I.Acid Yellow 11） without primary amine groups were applied to dye silk fabric by three dyeing processes：Mannich-type dyeing（with and without the addition of formaldehyde） and acidic dyeing.Their washing and rubbing fastness properties with different dyeing methods were examined and compared.It was found that the dyed silk fabric with AMODB by the Mannich-type dyeing showed higher color depth,better anti-stripping ability to DMF and better washing fastness than those of the dyed silk fabric with C.I.Acid Yellow 11 by acidic dyeing due to the covalent bond formation between the dye chromophore of AMODB and silk fiber.In addition,mild Mannich dyeing conditions suitable for silk（AMODB at 3%owf,75：1 liquor-to-goods ratio,dyebath pH 5.5,30℃,10 h） were provided.