Quantum dynamics simulations of interfacial electron transfer in sensitized TiO2 semiconductors

Ab initio DFT molecular dynamics simulations are combined with quantum dynamics calculations of electronic relaxation to investigate the interfacial electron transfer in catechol/TiO(2)-anatase nanostructures under vacuum conditions. It is found that the primary process in the interfacial electron-transfer dynamics involves an ultrafast (tau(1) approximately 6 fs) electron-injection event that localizes the charge in the Ti(4+) surface ions next to the catechol adsorbate. The primary event is followed by charge delocalization (i.e., carrier diffusion) through the TiO(2)-anatase crystal, an anisotropic diffusional process that can be up to an order of magnitude slower along the [-101] direction than carrier relaxation along the [010] and [101] directions in the anatase crystal. It is shown that both the mechanism of electron injection and the time scales for interfacial electron transfer are quite sensitive to the symmetry of the electronic state initially populated in the adsorbate molecule. The results are particularly relevant to the understanding of surface charge separation in efficient mechanisms of molecular-based photovoltaic devices.     

Interfacial electron transfer in metal cyanide-sensitized TiO2 nanoparticles

Electroabsorption (Stark) spectroscopy has been used to study the charge-transfer absorption from a transition-metal-cyanide complex to a TiO2 nanoparticle. Transition-metal cyanide/TiO2(particle) systems were synthesized using FeII(CN)(6)4-, RuII(CN)6(4-), MoIV(CN)(8)4-, and WIV(CN)8(4-). On formation of the M(CN)n4-/TiO2(particle) system, a new metal-to-particle charge-transfer (MPCT) absorption band is observed in the 390-480 nm region. Analysis of the absorption spectra suggests that the TiO2 level involved in the MPCT transition resides at significantly higher energy than the bottom of the conduction band and that the electronic coupling between the two metal centers is the dominant factor determining the position of the MPCT band maximum. The average charge-transfer distances determined by Stark spectra range from 4.1-4.7 A. The observation of relatively short charge-transfer distances leads to the conclusion that the MPCT absorption is from the transition-metal cyanide center to a level that is localized on the Ti atom bound to a nitrogen end of the [O2Ti-N-C-M(CN)x] system. The electronic coupling, Hab, calculated for a two state model is similar to values observed in dinuclear metal complexes.     

Ultrafast plasmon-induced electron transfer from gold nanodots into TiO2 nanoparticles

By using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy with visible pump and IR probe to observe generation of injected electrons, we could directly observe plasmon-induced electron transfer from 10 nm gold nanodots to TiO2 nanocrystalline film. It was revealed that the reaction time was within 240 fs and the yield was about 40%.     

A comparative study on photo-induced electron transfer from fluorescein to anthraquinone and injection into colloidal TiO2

A dyad-anthraquinone-methyl ester of fluorescein-and its model compound-butyl ester-were synthesized. The effects of photo-induced electron transfer from fluorescein to an organic anthraquinone acceptor and injection into inorganic colloidal TiO(2) were studied respectively. It is found that the photo-induced electron transferring to an organic acceptor is much faster than injecting into inorganic colloidal particles when fluorescein was excited by visible light. While inorganic colloidal TiO(2) was excited by UV, the electron of fluorescein will inject into TiO(2).     

Photoelectrochemical processes on TiO2 electrodes sensitized by lead selenide nanoparticles

The effect of spectral sensitization of photoelectrochemical processes on the surfaces of mesoporous TiO₂ modified by electrochemically deposited PbSe nanoparticles has been observed.     

Effect of strong coupling on interfacial electron transfer dynamics in dye-sensitized TiO2 semiconductor nanoparticles

Dynamics of interfacial electron transfer (ET) in ruthenium polypyridyl complex [{bis-(2,2′-bpy)-(4-[2-(4′-methyl-[2,2′]bipyridinyl-4-yl)-vinyl]-benzene-1,2-diol)}ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate] (Ru-cat) and 5,10,15-tris phenyl-20-(3,4-dihydroxy benzene) porphyrin (TPP-cat)-sensitized TiO₂ nanoparticles have been investigated using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic detection in the visible and near-infrared region. We have observed that both Ru-cat and TPP-cat are coupled strongly with the TiO₂ nanoparticles through their pendant catechol moieties. We have observed a single exponential and pulse-width limited (<100 fs) electron injection from nonthermalized-excited states of Ru-complex. Here electron injection competes with the singlet-triplet manifold relaxation due to strong coupling of catecholate binding, which is a unique observation. Optical absorption spectra indicate that the catechol moiety interacts with TiO₂ nanoparticles showing the characteristic pure catechol-TiO₂ charge-transfer (CT) band in the visible region. Transient absorption studies on TPP-cat/TiO₂ system exciting both the Soret band at 400 nm and the Q-band at 800 nm have been carried out to determine excitation wavelength-dependence on ET dynamics. The reaction channel for the electron-injection process has been found to be different for both the excitation wavelengths. Excitation at 800 nm, is found directly populate directly the excited CT state from where diffusion of electrons into the conduction band takes place. On the other hand, excitation at 400 nm light excites both the CT band of cat-TiO₂ and also Soret band of TPP-cat.     

Photoinduced electron transfer studies of Nile red in the presence of TiO2 colloidal nanoparticles

Photoinduced electron transfers between Nile red (NR) with TiO2 colloidal nanoparticles are studied using picosecond transient absorption and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The dynamics of electron transfer from the dye molecule to the semiconductor were understood from the transient, and also the formation of conduction band electron and Nile red cation radical were detected.     

Photocatalytic single electron transfer reactions on TiO2 semiconductor

The use of inorganic semiconductor particles such as titanium dioxide(TiO_2) has received relatively less attention in organic chemistry, although semiconductor particles have been widely used as a single electron transfer photocatalyst in waterpurification, air-cleaning, and self-cleaning. In recent years, the photocatalysis on semiconductor particles has become an active area of research even in organic chemistry, since the heterogeneous semiconductor photocatalysis leads to the unique redox organic reactions. In an early stage, the semiconductor photocatalysis was applied to the oxidation of organic molecules.Semiconductor particles have also the potential to induce the reductive chemical transformations in the absence of oxygen(O_2),by using the suitable sacrificial hole scavenger. In this review, we summarize the representative examples of the reductive and oxidative organic reactions using semiconductor particles and the recent applications to the stereoselective reactions.     

Reaction dynamics of the transfer of stored electrons on TiO2 nanoparticles: A stopped flow study

The dynamics of the transfer of electrons from TiO₂ nanoparticles to a variety of electron acceptors have been investigated employing a simple and facile stopped flow technique. Prior to the kinetic experiments nanosized TiO₂ particles are loaded with electrons by UV (A) photolysis in the presence of methanol as a hole scavenger. As a model for possible electron transfer reactions the reduction of dissolved O₂ and H₂O₂ by stored TiO₂ electrons has been successfully studied.     

Improved efficiency of TiO2 nanotubes in dye sensitized solar cells by decoration with TiO2 nanoparticles

In the present work we investigate the effect of TiCl₄ treatments on the photoconversion efficiency of TiO₂ arrays used in dye sensitized solar cell. The results clearly show that by an appropriate treatment the decoration of the TiO₂ nanotube arrays with TiO₂ nanocrystallites of a typical size of 3 nm can be achieved. These particles can be converted to mixture of anatase and rutile phase by annealing in air. This decoration of the TiO₂ nanotubes leads to a significantly higher specific dye loading and, for certain annealing treatments, to a doubling of the solar cell efficiency (in our case from 1.9% to 3.8% of AM 1.5 conditions) can be achieved.     

Carrier recombination dynamics in anatase TiO2 nanoparticles

We present an experimental study of the radiative recombination dynamics in size-controlled TiO₂ nanoparticles in the range 20–130 nm. Time-integrated photoluminescence spectra clearly show a dominance of self-trapped exciton (STE) emission, with main features not dependent on the nanoparticle size and on its environment. From picosecond time-resolved experiments as a function of the excitation density and the nanoparticle size we address the STE recombination dynamics as the result of two main processes related to the direct STE formation and to the indirect STE formation mediated by non-radiative surface states.     

二氧化钛纳米材料的非均相光催化本质及表面改性

非均相光催化过程是指多相多尺度体系在光辐射作用下发生的一个复杂的催化过程,被认为最有潜力解决环境污染和能源短缺问题的绿色及可再生的技术之一。在目前已经报道的各种非均相光催化剂中, TiO2纳米材料被证实是应用最广泛、光催化效果最好的催化剂,是当前国际材料、环境和能源等领域的研究前沿和热点,高性能TiO2基光催化材料的设计及改性一直是该领域的难点,其关键问题主要为：如何增强TiO2的表面光催化量子效率、促进光生载流子分离和拓展其可见光响应范围。尽管已经有很多关于TiO2光催化的综述,但大多综述集中在高性能TiO2的制备及各种改性策略研究,而对各种改性策略与光催化分子机理之间的关系阐述较少。为此,本文深入分析了TiO2纳米材料的非均相光催化本质并总结了各种表面改性策略。首先从热力学角度阐明TiO2的热力学能带能够确保其实现各种典型光催化反应(包括光催化降解、CO2还原及光解水),证实其广泛应用的可行性。然后,对TiO2光生载流子的动力学基础进行总结,证实快速的广生载流子复合以及较慢的表面化学反应动力学是限制其光催化活性提高的关键制约性因素。于此同时,对TiO2纳米材料的表面Zeta点位、超亲水性、超强酸光催化剂制备(表面羟基取代)等重要的表面化学性质也进行了详细阐述。从而可以初步得出如下结论：表面改性是设计高性能TiO2光催化材料的重中之重,并将各种改性策略浓缩在6个方面：表面掺杂和敏化,构建表面异质结,负载纳米助催化剂,增加可利用的比表面剂,利用表面氟效应以及暴露高活性晶面等。显然,表面掺杂和敏化可以减小TiO2纳米材料的禁带宽度,从而大幅拓宽其可见光吸收范围及光催化效率。而构建紧密的表面异质结可以创建界面电场,不仅可以促进光生电荷分离效率,而且可以有效提高界面电荷转移效率,最终实现异质结的高光催化效率。负载纳米助催化剂则可以大幅加快表面化学反速率,降低光生载流子的表面复合并增加其利用率,并有可能减少不期望的表面逆反应,从而实现光催化活性提升。增加可利用的比表面剂,可以有效提升光催化剂与吸附质之间的有效接触面积,缩短了载流子的传输距离以及通过多次反射与折射提升光能的利用率,从而全方位地提升TiO2纳米材料的光催化活性。对TiO2纳米材料表面进行氟化,可以增加光生羟基自由基的速率以及浓度,并可以通过调节TiO2表面酸碱性而控制其光催化选择性,从而实现高效高选择性光催化。最后,通过暴露TiO2纳米材料的高活性晶面,也可以促进光生载流子分离、增加吸附性能或羟基自由基生成速率,从而获得高光催化效率。另外,这些表面改性策略的协同效应仍是较有前景的TiO2纳米光催化剂改性技术,值得深入研究。同时,深入的光催化分子机理探索仍然是必须的,其不仅有助于发现影响TiO2纳米材料光催化活性提高的关键性制约因素,而且也可以指导开发新型的TiO2纳米光催化剂改性技术。总而言之,通过总结TiO2纳米材料在光催化、表面化学及表面改性等方面的重要进展,可为设计高效的TiO2基及非TiO2基光催化剂并应用于太阳燃料生产、环境修复、有机合成及相关的领域(如太阳能电池、热催、分离和纯化)等提供新的思路。     

Effect of polyaniline as a surface modifier of TiO2 nanoparticles on the properties of polyvinyl chloride/TiO2 nanocomposites

Surface of TiO2 nanoparticles was modified with the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. Polyaniline modified TiO2 nanoparticles (PANI-TiO2 ) were characterized with the FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. Results confirmed that PANI was grafted successfully on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles, therefore agglomeration of nanoparticles decreased dramatically. Polyvinyl chloride nanocomposites filled with 1 wt% 5 wt% of PANI-TiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared via the solution blending method. PVC nanocomposites were analyzed with FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TG/DTA, DSC and tensile test techniques. Effect of PANI as surface modifier of nanoparticles was discussed according to the final properties of PVC nanocomposites. Results demonstrated that deposition of PANI on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles improved the interfacial adhesion between the constituents of nanocomposites, which resulted in better dispersion of nanoparticles in the PVC matrix. Also PVC/PANI-TiO2 nanocomposites showed higher thermal resistance, tensile strength and Young’s modulus compared to those of unfilled PVC and PVC/TiO2 nanocomposites.     

Effect of urea surface modification and photocatalytic cleaning on surface‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry with amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles

We have investigated the effect of urea surface modification and the photocatalytic cleaning on surface‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI‐MS) with amorphous TiO₂ nanoparticles for the reduction of the background noise and the improvement of the sensitivity. In the use of nanoparticles of high surface area, chemical background signals arising from ambient environments and organic contaminants can frequently be serious problems below 500 Da, possibly reducing the advantages of the matrix‐free approach. In this study, removal of contaminants and enhanced SALDI efficiency were easily achieved with UV irradiation via the photocatalyst effect of TiO₂ before SALDI‐MS measurements. The surface cleaning achieved by the UV photocatalytic procedure reduced the background noise and increased the peak intensities of peptides. In addition, we found that urea surface modification of TiO₂ nanoparticles increased the performance of the TiO₂‐SALDI‐MS. (1) The urea‐surface modification of TiO₂ made it possible to produce proton‐adduct forms without citrate buffer, resulting in low background noises below 500 Da, in contrast to the essential use of a citrate buffer in the bare TiO₂‐SALDI‐MS. (2) The detection sensitivity of angiotensin I increased to 0.3 fmol with the urea‐surface modification, as compared to the use of bare TiO₂ nanoparticles (6 fmol). The urea‐TiO₂ could ionize proteins of more than 20 000 Da such as trypsinogen (600 fmol). (3) The urea modification of TiO₂ had the advantage of selective detection of phosphopeptides without sample clean up, or prefractionation in tryptic digest products of bovine hemoglobin. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A photo-induced electron transfer study of an organic dye anchored on the surfaces of TiO2 nanotubes and nanoparticles

We report on femtosecond-nanosecond (fs-ns) studies of the triphenylamine organic dye (TPC1) interacting with titania nanoparticles of different sizes, nanotubes and nanorods. We used time-resolved emission and absorption spectroscopy to measure the photoinduced dynamics of forward and back electron transfer processes taking place in TPC1-titania complexes in acetonitrile (ACN) and dichloromethane (DCM) solutions. We observed that the electron injection from the dye to titania occurs in a multi-exponential way with the main contribution of 100 fs from the hot excited charge-transfer state of anchored TPC1. This process competes with the relaxation of the excited state, mainly governed by solvation, that takes place with average time constants of 400 fs in ACN and 1.3 ps in DCM solutions. A minor contribution to the electron injection process takes place with longer time constants of about 1-10 ps from the relaxed excited state of TPC1. The latter times and their contribution do not depend on the size of the nanoparticles, but are substantially smaller in the case of nanotubes (1-3 ps), probably due to the caging effect. The contribution is also smaller in DCM than in ACN. The efficient back recombination takes place also in a multi-exponential way with times of 1 ps, 15 ps and 1 ns, and only 20-30% of the initial injected electrons in the conduction band are left within the first 1 ns after excitation. The faster recombination rates are suggested due to those originating from the free electrons in the conduction band of titania or the electrons in the shallow trap states, while the slower recombination is due to the electrons in the deep trap states. The results reported here should be relevant to a better understanding of the photobehaviour of an organic dye with promising potential for use in solar cells. They should also help to determine the important factors that limit the efficiency of solar cells based on the triphenylamine-based dyes for solar energy conversion.     

Interfacial electron transfer between the photoexcited porphyrin molecule and TiO2 nanoparticles: effect of catecholate binding

Interfacial electron transfer (ET) dynamics of 5,10,15-trisphenyl-20-(3,4-dihydroxybenzene) porphyrin (TPP-cat) adsorbed on TiO2 nanoparticles has been studied by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in the visible and near-IR region exciting at 400 and 800 nm. TPP-cat molecule forms a charge transfer (CT) complex with TiO2 nanoparticles through the catechol moiety with the formation of a five-membered ring. Optical absorption measurements have shown that the Q-band of TPP-cat interacts strongly with TiO2 due to chelation; however, the Soret band is affected very little. Optical absorption measurements indicate that the catechol moiety also interacts with TiO2 nanoparticles showing the characteristic band of pure catechol-TiO2 charge transfer (CT) in the visible region. Electron injection has been confirmed by monitoring the cation radical, instant bleach, and injected electron in the conduction band of TiO2 nanoparticles. Electron injection time has been measured to be < 100 fs and recombination kinetics has been best fitted with a multiexponential function, where the majority of the injected electrons come back to the parent cation radical with a time constant of approximately 800 fs for both excitation wavelengths. However, the reaction channel for the electron injection process has been found to be different for both wavelengths. Excitation at 800 nm, found to populate the CT state of the Q-band, and from the photoexcited CT state electron injection into the conduction band, takes place through diffusion. On the other hand, with excitation at 400 nm, a complicated reaction channel takes place. Excitation with 400 nm light excites both the CT band of Cat-TiO2 and also the Soret band of TPP-cat. We have discussed the reaction path in the TPP-cat/TiO2 system after exciting with both 400 and 800 nm laser light. We have also compared ET dynamics by exciting at both wavelengths.     

Multistep electron transfer processes on dye co-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 films

We report a method for achieving multilayer co-sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2 films. The method is based upon an aluminum isopropoxide treatment of the monosensitized film prior to deposition of a second sensitizer. Appropriate selection of sensitizer dyes allows vectorial, multistep, electron transfer processes, resulting in a suppression of interfacial charge recombination and a significantly improved photovoltaic device performance relative to single-layer co-sensitization devices.