Enhancing Undergraduate Research Experience through Synthesis and Photovoltaic Applications of Photochromic Organic Sensitizers

Abstract

The essence of university courses lies in their scientific rigor, while the enjoyment of learning serves as a motivation. In this regard, we have developed a comprehensive experiment project by incorporating dithienylethene-based photochromic units into sensitizers for renewable energy, specifically dye-sensitized solar cells, through organic synthesis. This course offers upper-division undergraduate students a hands-on experience from proposal to implementation to completion, immersing them in the captivating realm of photoelectric conversion controlled by UV light. Not only does it foster the development of students majoring in chemistry-related fields but it also promotes scientific thinking and the cultivation of research interests.