Osmium Polypyridyl Complexes and Their Applications to Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have received much attention in recent years owing to their efficient conversion of sunlight to electricity. DSSCs became successful alternatives to silicon photovoltaic devices by virtue of their low fabrication costs and easy preparation methods. In DSSCs the dye plays the key role. This review summarizes the applications of osmium sensitizers in DSSCs. We also briefly discussed their synthesis and the effect of various electrolyte systems on device efficiencies. Osmium sensitizers for dye‐sensitized solar cells are reviewed with a focus on their applications and synthesis and the effect of various electrolyte systems on device efficiencies. The photovoltaic properties of osmium(II) allow exploitation of the light‐harvesting properties of the complexes through energy‐ and electron‐transfer processes.