How the electrode potential controls the selection rules of the charge transfer mechanism of SERS

This communication reports, for the first time, the dependence of the SERS intensities under resonant CT conditions (SERS-CT) on the electrode potential. SERS-CT intensities have been estimated from the properties of S(0)-CT(i) transitions ranging between 200-1200 nm of selected [Ag(n)-pyridine](q) and [Ag(n)-pyrazine](q) complexes.     

Probing cell surface charge by scanning electrode potential

A static mercury electrode was used for measurement of double-layer charge displacement signals caused by living plant cells of the unicellular marine alga Dunaliella tertiolecta. By scanning the electrode potential a point is reached where the charge density of a plant cell compensates the electrode charge density. The experimentally determined values of surface charges for unicellular marine alga Dunaliella tertiolecta cells are -0.63 and -0.75 nuC/cm(2) in 0.1 M NaCl and 1 M NaCl solutions, respectively.     

Manifestation of electrode surface states in molecular conduction

We present a conduction mechanism across molecular junctions which derives from conductance resonances that are not associated with particular molecular orbitals. Instead, the resonances are induced by states localized at the surface of the electrodes. To this end, we studied the conductance of a C₆₀ molecule bridging two carbon nanotubes. A simple tight-binding model is employed to investigate analytically the basic features of the effect.     

Electron transfer activation of the Diels-Alder reaction: Quantitative relationship to charge transfer excited states

The Diels-Alder cycloaddition of anthracene to tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) is quantitatively compared to alkylmetal insertion under the same reaction conditions. In both systems, the observation of transient charge transfer (CT) absorption bands is related to the presence of 1:1 electron donor-acceptor complexes of anthracene (Ar) and alkylmetal (RM) donors with the TCNE acceptor. The activation free energies ΔG3 for anthracene cycloaddition and alkylmetal insertion are found to be equal to the energies of ion-pair formation, i.e. [Ar⁺TCNE^?] and RM⁺TCNE^?], which are evaluated from the CT transition energies hν_CT. Indeed, the differences in the rates of alkylmetal insertion and anthracene cycloaddition by a factor of more than 10⁹, are shown quantitatively to arise from the differences in ion-pair solvation ΔG^s. The same differences in ΔG^s also apply quantitatively to the free ions, [Ar⁺] and [RM⁺], independently derived from the electrochemical and iron(III) oxidations of alkylmetals and aromatic compounds, respectively, by outer- sphere electron transfer. The charge transfer formulation of the activation process but provides a unifying basis for comparing such diverse processes as Diels-Alder cycloadditions and organometal cleavages, when a common electron-deficient acceptor is employed. The relationship to the concerted mechanisms of the Diels-Alder reaction is discussed.     

Simulation of highly emissive states based on ligand-to-metal charge transfer

Properties of the frontier orbitals of a d⁰-organometallic complex with promising photoluminescent and photosensor characteristics have been systematically studied by modern quantum-chemical methods. It has been demonstrated that the lowest electronically excited states are related to charge transfer from high-lying ligand-centered molecular orbitals to the predominantly metal-centered lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. Such an approach makes it possible to predict complexes with promising spectral-luminescent properties, including catalytic precursors of early transition metals.     

Photon-driven charge transfer and photocatalysis of p-aminothiophenol in metal nanogaps: a DFT study of SERS

When p-aminothiophenol (PATP) is used as a probe molecule and adsorbs on silver and gold nanogaps, a significant change of relative SERS intensities can be observed. Our DFT calculations show that surface photocatalytic coupling reactions yield a new surface species of p,p'-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) causing the significant change in the SERS spectra.     

Evidence of a surface plasmon-mediated mechanism in the generation of the SERS background

Herein, we correlate the SERS images recorded by Scanning Confocal Raman Microscopy with the plasmonic response of a Ag nanostructured film of controlled morphology to put forward direct evidence for the involvement of a plasmonic mechanism in the generation of the SERS background.     

Numerical analysis of Debye screening effect in electrode surface potential mapping by scanning electrochemical potential microscopy

We investigate the effects of the probe apex geometry, overlap of the electric double layers (EDLs) and Debye screening on surface potential mapping with scanning electrochemical potential microscopy (SECPM). The simulation consists of scanning a tip parallel to the electrode surface over a charged hemispherical nano-particle adsorbed on the electrode surface. As expected, a clear dependence of the apparent size of the imaged particle on the probe apex geometry has been noticed. The Debye screening has a significant effect on the probe sensitivity, while the electrolyte concentration affects the observed size of the imaged particles.     

Dynamics of charge transfer states on metal surfaces: the competition between reactivity and quenching

The dynamics of excited states of adsorbates on surfaces caused by charge transfer is studied. Both negative and positive charge transfer processes are possible. In particular we are interested in positive charge transfer from a metal surface to molecular or atomic oxygen adsorbed on the surface. Once the negatively charged oxygen on the surface loses an electron it becomes chemically activated. The ability of this species to react depends on the quenching time or back transfer. The analysis of these processes is based on a set of diabatic potential energy surfaces each representing a different charged oxygen species. The dynamics is followed by solving the multichannel time-dependent Schr?dinger equation or Liouville von Neumann equation. Due to the nonadiabatic character of these reactions large isotope effects are predicted.     

Role of ruthenium oxidation states in ligand-to-ligand charge transfer processes

We describe in this paper the properties of [Ru(II/III)(bpy)(2)ClL](+1/+2) and [Ru(II/III)(bpy)(2)L(2)](+2/+3). L = ditolyl-3-pyridylamine (dt3pya) is a redox active ligand related to triarylamines, which is very similar to 3-aminopyridine except for the reversible redox behavior. The monosubstituted complex shows a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) at 502 nm, and reversible waves in acetonitrile at E(0)(Ru(III/II)) = 1.07 V, E(0)(L(+/0)) = 1.46 V (NHE). The disubstituted complex shows an MLCT at 461 nm, a photorelease of dt3pya with quantum yield of 0.11 at 473 nm, and two reversible one-electron overlapped waves at 1.39 V associated with one of the ligands (1.37 V) and Ru(III/II) (1.41 V). Further oxidation of the second ligand at 1.80 V forms a 2,2'-bipiridine derivative, in an irreversible reaction similar to dimerization of triphenylamine to yield tetraphenylbenzidine. In the dioxidized state, the spectroelectrochemistry of the disubstituted complex shows a ligand-to-ligand charge transfer at 1425 nm, with a transition moment of 1.25 ? and an effective two-state coupling of 1200 cm(-1). No charge transfer between ligands was observed when Ru was in a 2+ oxidation state. We propose that a superexchange process would be involved in ligand-metal-ligand charge transfer, when ligands and metals are engaged in complementary π interactions, as in metal-ligand-metal complexes. Best orbital matching occurs when metallic donor fragments are combined with acceptor ligands and vice versa. In our case, Ru(III) bridge (an acceptor) and two dt3pya (donors, one of them being oxidized) made the complex a Robin-Day Class II system, while the Ru(II) bridge (a donor, reduced) was not able to couple two dt3pya (also donors, one oxidized).     

A temporal study of the surface enhanced Raman bond polarizabilities of ethylene thiourea on the Ag electrode: The electromagnetic and charge transfer mechanisms

Based on the surface enhanced Raman intensities of ethylene thiourea on the silver electrode, the temporal bond polarizabilities are elucidated to offer important information of the surface enhancement mechanisms. The results demonstrated that both the electromagnetic and charge transfer mechanisms are responsible for the large enhancement. The relaxation rates of the various bond polarizabilities are displayed. All obey a single exponentially decaying function, independent of potentials and mechanisms. The characteristic time for the relaxation due to charge transfer mechanism is larger than that via the electromagnetic mechanism due to that its relaxation requires longer time for the charges to re-distribute.     

Effect of electrode membrane surface ratio and thickness on lead electrode potential

Summary The lead ion selective electrode (ISE) consisting of PbS-Ag₂S is normally used with a membrane surface of outer layer areaA _o) and inner layer area (A _i) at unity (A _o=A _i). Partial covering of one surface area with an insulating material and keeping the other surface layer intact resulted in different ratios of membrane surface areas exposed to lead solutions. The potential linearly increased with increasing theA _o/A _i ratio and decreased with decreasing theA _o/A _i ratio. The lead ISE potential increased linearly with increasing the membrane thickness, but which required much longer time for a stable potential.

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Wirkung von Oberflächenverhältnis und Dicke der Elektrodenmembran auf das Potential einer Bleielektrode

Zusammenfassung Die aus PbS-Ag₂S bestehende spezifische Bleiionen-Elektrode wird üblicherweise mit einem Oberflächenverhältnis der Außenfläche (A _o) und der Innenfläche (A _i) mitA _o=A _i verwendet. Durch teilweise Abdeckung einer Oberfläche mit isolierendem Material, ohne daß die andere Oberfläche verändert wird, ergaben sich verschiedene Verhältnisse der mit der Bleilösung in Berührung stehenden Oberflächen. Mit dem VerhältnisA _o/A _i stieg das Potential linear an bzw. es fiel mit diesem Verhältnis ab. Das Potential der spezifischen Bleielektrode stieg mit der Dicke der Membran, stabilisierte sich aber wesentlich langsamer.

     

金与银电极表面甘氨酸分子吸附作用的SERS光谱研究

本文利用表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)技术研究了甘氨酸在金与银基底表面的吸附作用特征。研究表明甘氨酸分子以COO-的不对称形式吸附于金电极表面,且NH2也是其可能的吸附位点;而在银电极表面,则主要是通过COO-的对称形式而吸附。在此基础上,进一步研究了电极电位与溶液酸碱性对吸附于粗糙化银电极表面甘氨酸分子吸附作用的影响。研究结果表明,甘氨酸分子中去质子化羧基的吸附作用受电位影响较小,而电位对-NH3+吸附作用的影响程度较大。另一方面,溶液pH值对银电极表面的甘氨酸分子吸附行为的影响也较为显著。随着溶液酸性减小羧基倾向于相对于电极表面平行吸附。这是由于随着溶液碱性增大氨基质子化程度的减小,有利于氨基在银电极表面吸附。这将改变分子的吸附构型使其更接近于电极表面。这些变化主要出现在pH值大于10的条件下。     

The effect of solvent polarity on the balance between charge transfer and non-charge transfer pathways in the sensitization of singlet oxygen by pipi triplet states

A large set of literature kinetic data on triplet (T(1)) sensitization of singlet oxygen by two series of biphenyl and naphthalene sensitizers in solvents of strongly different polarity has been analyzed. The rate constants and the efficiencies of singlet oxygen formation are quantitatively reproduced by a model that assumes the competition of a non-charge transfer (nCT) and a CT deactivation channel. nCT deactivation occurs from a fully established spin-statistical equilibrium of (1)(T(1)(3)Sigma) and (3)(T(1)(3)Sigma) encounter complexes by internal conversion (IC) to lower excited complexes that dissociate to yield O(2)((1)Sigma(g)(+)), O(2)((1)Delta(g)), and O(2)((3)Sigma(g)(-)). IC of (1,3)(T(1)(3)Sigma) encounter complexes is controlled by an energy gap law that is generally valid for the transfer of electronic energy to and from O(2). (1,3)(T(1)(3)Sigma) nCT complexes form in competition to IC (1)(T(1)(3)Sigma) and (3)(T(1)(3)Sigma) exciplexes if CT interactions between T(1) and O(2) are important. The rate constants of exciplex formation depend via a Marcus type parabolic model on the corresponding free energy change DeltaG(CT), which varies with sensitizer triplet energy, oxidation potential, and solvent polarity. O(2)((1)Sigma(g)(+)), O(2)((1)Delta(g)), and O(2)((3)Sigma(g)(-)) are formed in the product ratio (1/6):(1/12):(3/4) in the CT deactivation channel. The balance between nCT and CT deactivation is described by the relative contribution p(CT) of CT induced deactivation calculated for a sensitizer of known triplet energy from its quenching rate constant. It is shown how the change of p(CT) influences the quenching rate constant and the efficiency of singlet oxygen formation in both series of sensitizers. p(CT) is sensitive to differences of solvent polarity and varies for the biphenyls and the naphthalenes as sigmoidal with DeltaG(CT). This quantitative model represents a realistic and general mechanism for the quenching of pipi triplet states by O(2), surpassing previous advanced models.     

Photoinduced electron transfer in naphthalimide-pyridine systems: effect of proton transfer on charge recombination efficiencies

We studied the effect of proton-coupled electron transfer on lifetimes of the charge-separated radicals produced upon light irradiation of the thiomethyl-naphthalimide donor SMe-NI-H in the presence of nitro-cyano-pyridine acceptor (NO(2)-CN-PYR). The dynamics of electron and proton transfer were studied using femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy in the UV/vis range. We find that the photoinduced electron transfer between excited SMe-NI-H and NO(2)-CN-PYR occurs with a rate of 1.1 × 10(9) s(-1) to produce radical ions SMe-NI-H(?+) and NO(2)-CN-PYR(?-). These initially produced radical ions in a solvent cage do not undergo a proton transfer, possibly due to unfavorable geometry between N-H proton of the naphthalimide and aromatic N-atom of the pyridine. Some of the radical ions in the solvent cage recombine with a rate of 2.3 × 10(10) s(-1), while some escape the solvent cage and recombine at a lower rate (k = 4.27 × 10(8) s(-1)). The radical ions that escape the solvent cage undergo proton transfer to produce neutral radicals SMe-NI(?) and NO(2)-CN-PYR-H(?). Because neutral radicals are not attracted to each other by electrostatic interactions, their recombination is slower that the recombination of the radical ions formed in model compounds that can undergo only electron transfer (SMe-NI-Me and NO(2)-CN-PYR, k = 1.2 × 10(9) s(-1)). The results of our study demonstrate that proton-coupled electron transfer can be used as an efficient method to achieve long-lived charge separation in light-driven processes.     

Excited states in the alkali/noble metal surface systems: A model system for the study of charge transfer dynamics at surfaces

The low coverage adsorption of alkalis on metal surfaces induces excited states localised on the adsorbate. In the case of noble metal substrates, these excited states can exhibit a very long lifetime, up to tens of fs in the Cs/Cu(1 1 1) system. We review recent experimental and theoretical investigations of alkalis adsorbed on noble metal surfaces, with emphasis on the characteristics of the alkali-induced excited states, the origin of their long lifetimes, and the consequences for the adsorbate dynamics. The possibility of long-lived resonances in other adsorbate/substrate systems is also discussed.     

Discrete charge effects on the Donnan potential and surface potential of a soft particle

The Donnan potential and surface potential of soft particles (i.e., polyelectrolyte-coated hard particles) in an electrolyte solution play an essential role in their electric behaviors. These potentials are usually derived via a continuum model in which fixed charges inside the surface layer are distributed with a continuous charge density. In this paper, for a plate-like soft particle consisting of a cubic lattice of fixed point charges, on the basis of the linearized Poisson–Boltzmann equation, we derive expressions for the electric potential distribution in the regions inside and outside the surface layer. This expression is given in terms of a sum of the screened Coulomb potentials produced by the point charges within the surface layer. We show that the deviation of the results of the discrete charge model from those of the continuous charge model becomes significant as the ratio of the lattice spacing to the Debye length becomes large.