D-π-A pyridinium dye without carboxylic acid moiety as anchoring group has been used as a photosensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). FTIR and absorption spectra of the D-π-A pyridinium dye adsorbed on TiO 2 nanoparticles indicate that the dye is adsorbed on the TiO 2 surface by an electrostatic interaction between pyridinium moiety of the dye and the hydroxyl group of TiO 2 surface. DSSC based on the D-π-A pyridinium dye had a power conversion efficiency (η) of 0.09% with a short-circuit photocurrent density (J sc ) of 0.48 mA cm −2.