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Three cone-calix[4]arene-based sensitizers ( Calix-1- Calix-3) with multiple donor-π-acceptor ( D-π-A) moieties are designed, synthesized, and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Their photophysical and electrochemical properties are characterized by measuring UV/Vis absorption and emission spectra, cyclic voltammetry, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Calix-3 has excellent thermo- and photostability, as illustrated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dye-aging tests, respectively. Importantly, a DSSC using the Calix-3 dye displays a conversion efficiency of 5.48 % in under standard AM 1.5 Global solar illumination conditions, much better than corresponding DSSCs that use the rod-shaped dye M-3 with a single D-π-A chain (3.56 %). The dyes offer advantages in terms of higher molar extinction coefficients, longer electron lifetimes, better stability, and stronger binding ability to TiO2 film. This is the first example of calixarene-based sensitizers for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Jun-Min Liu and Cheng-Yong Su at Sun Yat-Sen University. The image shows that cone-calix[4]arene-based dye flowers can develop in the field of dye-sensitized solar cells as sunflowers thrive under sunshine. The Full Paper itself is available at [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]