Two metal-free organic sensitizers containing two N,N-diethylaniline (DEA) moieties and a twisted 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethene (TPE) structure, dye SD with one anchoring group and dye DD with two anchoring groups, were synthesized and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The introduction of a nonplanar TPE structure was used to form a series of propeller-like structures and reduce the tendency of dyes to randomly aggregate on TiO2 surface, but without importing an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property. The thermal stabilities, UV-vis absorption spectra, electrochemical properties,...
