Facile electrochemical growth of nanostructured copper phthalocyanine thin film via simultaneous anodic oxidation of copper and dilithium phthalocyanine for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution

We present a novel electrochemical approach to grow copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin-film photoelectrodes through anodic oxidation of copper and dilithium phthalocyanine (Li₂Pc). This circumvents the challenges associated with the electrochemical processing of unsubstituted CuPc from solution. The potentiostatic co-electrooxidation reaction at the heterogeneous interface favors the growth of CuPc thin film. The surface morphology of thin film exhibits nanorod-like features. UV-Vis, grazing angle Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and grazing angle X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that the nanocrystalline phase corresponds only to α-CuPc and no admixture of other polymorphs. Photocurrent measurement shows a stable photoresponse in neutral medium. The photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution on p-type CuPc coated copper photocathode shows an enhanced activity over bare copper and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodeposited with CuPc and monolithium phthalocyanine radical (LiPc) thin films.     

Gas sensing mechanism in chemiresistive cobalt and metal-free phthalocyanine thin films

The gas sensing behaviors of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) and metal-free phthalocyanine (H2Pc) thin films were investigated with respect to analyte basicity. Chemiresistive sensors were fabricated by deposition of 50 nm thick films on interdigitated gold electrodes via organic molecular beam epitaxy (OMBE). Time-dependent current responses of the films were measured at constant voltage during exposure to analyte vapor doses. The analytes spanned a range of electron donor and hydrogen-bonding strengths. It was found that, when the analyte exceeded a critical base strength, the device responses for CoPc correlated with Lewis basicity, and device responses for H2Pc correlated with hydrogen-bond basicity. This suggests that the analyte-phthalocyanine interaction is dominated by binding to the central cavity of the phthalocyanine with analyte coordination strength governing CoPc sensor responses and analyte hydrogen-bonding ability governing H2Pc sensor responses. The interactions between the phthalocyanine films and analytes were found to follow first-order kinetics. The influence of O2 on the film response was found to significantly affect sensor response and recovery. The increase of resistance generally observed for analyte binding can be attributed to hole destruction in the semiconductor film by oxygen displacement, as well as hole trapping by electron donor ligands.     

Weak epitaxy growth and phase behavior of planar phthalocyanines on p-sexiphenyl monolayer film

We systematically investigated the weak epitaxy growth (WEG) behavior of a series of planar phthalocyanine compounds (MPc), i.e., metal-free phthalocyanine (H2Pc), nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc), copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), iron phthalocyanine (FePc), cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc), grown on a p-sexiphenyl ( p-6P) monolayer film by selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two types of epitaxial relations, named as incommensurate epitaxy and commensurate epitaxy, were identified between phthalocyanine compounds and the substrate of the p-6P film. The tiny variation of the lattice constant of phthalocyanine compounds can result in different crystal orientations. The change rule of incommensurate and commensurate epitaxy was extracted. The tendency of commensurate epitaxy becomes weaker as the lattice constant b increases, while it gets stronger as the substrate temperature is elevated. Large size and continuous H2Pc films can be obtained by controlling the growth conditions. The WEG method is generally applicable in the whole family of planar phthalocyanine compounds and may be used to fabricate other high-quality organic films.     

Metal—ligand and π singlet—triplet transitions in phthalocyanine films studied by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) on AlAl₂O₃/PcPb tunneling junctions at 4.2 K has been used to study electronic transitions involving π, π^≠ and metal-ligand orbitals of phthalocyanine (Pc) films (H₂Pc, FePc, CoPc, NiPc, CuPc, ZnPc). The results are compared with calculations for Pc molecules.     

Evolution of ordered films of copper phthalocyanine according to EPR data

The procedure for calculating the orientation distribution of molecules using the angular dependence of EPR spectra was employed to study copper(II) phthalocyanine (CuPc) films varying in thickness and obtained by depositing the molecular complex on flat quartz plates. At the first stage of deposition, a layer of the α-CuPc phase with preferable orientation of molecular stacks along the plate surface is formed. At the second stage, a layer with an orthogonal arrangement of molecular stacks is condensed over the first layer. The interaction with NO₂ forms CuPc binuclear associates. Analysis of the EPR spectra made it possible to determine the symmetry of the structure and the distance between the paramagnetic Cu²⁺ ions; the structure of the associates has been proposed. The orientation distribution of CuPc dimers in the film depends both on the initial ordering in the film and on processing conditions. Strong disordering of molecular stacks in ordered films during the α-CuPc to α-CuPc phase transition has been found.     

Infrared spectra of phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine in sandwich-type (na)phthalocyaninato and porphyrinato rare earth complexes. Part 3. The effects of substituents and molecular symmetry on the infrared characteristics of phthalocyanine in bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth complexes

The infra-red (IR) spectroscopic data for a series of 45 homoleptic unsubstituted and substituted bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth complexes M(Pc)2 and M(Pc*)2 [M=Y, La...Lu except Pm; H2Pc=phthalocyanine; H2Pc*=2,3,9,10,16,17,24,25-octakis(octyloxy)phthalocyanine (H2OOPc) and 2(3),9(10),16(17),24(25)-tetra(tert-butyl)phthalocyanine (H2TBPc)] have been collected with resolution of 2 cm(-1). The IR spectra for M(Pc)2 and M(OOPc)2 are much simpler than those of M(TBPc)2, revealing the relatively higher symmetry of the former two compounds. For M(Pc)2 the Pc-* marker band at 1312-1323 cm(-1), attributed to the pyrrole stretching, and the isoindole stretching band at 1439-1454 cm(-1) are found to be dependent on the central rare earth size, shifting slightly to the higher energy along with the decrease of rare earth radius. The frequency of the vibration at 876-887 cm(-1) is also dependent on the rare earth ionic size. The metal size-sensitivity of this band and theoretical studies render it possible to re-assign it to the coupling of isoindole deformation and aza vibration. The nature of another metal-sensitive vibration mode at 1110-1116 cm(-1), which was previously assigned to the C-H bending, is now re-assigned as an isoindole breathing mode with some small contribution also from C-H in-plane bending. These assignments are supported by comparative studies of the IR spectra of substituted bis(phthalocyaninato) analogues M(OOPc)2 and M(TBPc)2. By comparison between the IR spectra of unsubstituted and substituted bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth analogues and according to the IR characteristics of alkyl groups, some characteristic vibrational fundamentals due to the Pc rings and the substituents can be separately identified. In conclusion, all the metal size-dependent IR absorptions are composed primarily of the vibrations of pyrrole or isoindole stretching, breathing or deformation or aza stretching of the Pc ring.     

Weak epitaxy growth of metal-free phthalocyanine on p-sexiphenyl monolayer and double-layer films

Weak epitaxy growth (WEG) can afford high-mobility thin films of disk-like organic semiconductor of which mobility is up to the level of the corresponding single crystals. We investigated the WEG behavior and mechanism of planar phthalocyanine in the model system of metal-free phthalocyanine (H2Pc) grown on p-sexiphenyl (p-6P) ultrathin films (monolayers and double layers). Highly oriented H2Pc films with molecules standing up exhibited two kinds of different in-plane orientations, i.e., three sets of in-plane orientations and only one set of in-plane orientation, on p-6P monolayer and double-layer films, respectively. The surface geometrical channels of p-6P substrate dominated the oriented nucleation and growth of H2Pc film. Consequently, the H2Pc film showed incommensurate and commensurate epitaxy on p-6P ultrathin films.     

Towards clarifying the N-M vibrational nature of metallo-phthalocyanines. Infrared spectrum of phthalocyanine magnesium complex: density functional calculations

Infrared frequencies and intensities for the magnesium phthalocyanine complex MgPc have been calculated at density functional B3LYP level using the 6-31G(d) basis set. Detailed assignments of the metal-nitrogen (N-M) vibrational bands in the IR spectrum have been made on the basis of comparison of the calculated data of MgPc with the experimental result and also with that of H(2)Pc. The empirical controversial assignment of the characteristic band at 886-919 cm(-1) for metallo-phthalocyanines is also clearly interpreted. Nevertheless, the previous assignments of N-H stretchings, in-plane bending (IPB) and out-of-plane bending (OPB) modes made based on the comparative calculation of H(2)Pc and D(2)Pc are confirmed again by the present research result.     

酞菁和酞菁铜的三阶非线性光学性质

用INDO/SDCI方法研究了酞菁和酞菁铜的电子结构, 紫外-可见光谱, 三阶非线性光学系数及其色散效应, 发现酞菁铜中Cu^2+对γ的贡献很小, 故酞菁与酞菁铜的γ几乎相等, 我们的计算结果对此进行了合理的解释。     

The Crystalline Structure of Copper Phthalocyanine Films on ZnO(11̅00)

The structure of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films (5-100 nm) deposited on single-crystal ZnO(11?00) substrates by organic molecular beam deposition was determined from grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction reciprocal space maps. The crystal structure was identified as the metastable polymorph α-CuPc, but the molecular stacking was found to vary depending on the film thickness: for thin films, a herringbone arrangement was observed, whereas for films thicker than 10 nm, coexistence of both the herringbone and brickstone arrangements was found. We propose a modified structure for the herringbone phase with a larger monoclinic β angle, which leads to intrastack Cu-Cu distances closer to those in the brickstone phase. This structural basis enables an understanding of the functional properties (e.g., light absorption and charge transport) of (opto)electronic devices fabricated from CuPc/ZnO hybrid systems.     

Thin-film transistors based on Langmuir-Blodgett films of heteroleptic bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth complexes

An ordered molecular assembly of heteroleptic bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth complexes M(Pc)[Pc(OC8H17)8] [M = Tb, Lu; H2Pc = phthalocyanine; H2Pc(OC8H17)8 = 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(octyloxy)phthalocyanine] has been fabricated by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique and characterized by surface pressure-area isotherms, electronic absorption and polarized electronic absorption spectroscopy, low-angle X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. The molecular ordering in the LB multilayer film on SiO2 substrate was made into a p-channel field effect transistor (FET), which was generally operated in the enhanced mode. The energy levels of the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital as well as the energy band diagram can be deduced from the electrochemical measurement results. The charge mobilities of Tb(Pc)[Pc(OC8H17)8] and Lu(Pc)[Pc(OC8H17)8] were calculated to be about 6.4 x 10(-4) and 1.7 x 10(-3) cm2 V(-1) s(-1), respectively.     

Arrangement of tris(phthalocyaninato) gadolinium triple-decker complexes with multi-octyloxy groups on water surface

A series of five carefully designed tris(phthalocyaninato) gadolinium triple-decker complexes [Pc(R)8]Gd[Pc(R')8]Gd[Pc(R')8] (R=R'=R'=H; R=R'=H, R'=OC8H17; R=R'=H, R'=OC8H17; R=H, R'=R'=OC8H17; R=R'=R'=OC8H17) (1-5) were prepared and the film forming properties on water surface were systematically investigated. The limited mean molecular area obtained by pi-A isotherms revealed an "edge-on" conformation for all these compounds. UV-vis absorption spectra showed red-shifted Q bands, indicating the formation of J aggregates and effective intermolecular interaction in solid film. Phthalocyanine rings were found to take tilted orientation with respect to the normal of substrate according to the polarized absorption spectroscopic measurements. Low angle X-ray diffraction results provide direct evidence and therefore clearly clarify the point, for the first time, that unsymmetrical triple-decker molecules pack on the water surface with the unsubstituted phthalocyanine ring set close to the water surface and the substituted phthalocyanine ligand with octyloxy groups lies on the top.     

Thickness-dependent structural transitions in fluorinated copper-phthalocyanine (F16CuPc) films

The detailed structure of F16CuPc films on SiO2 has been determined by means of in situ grazing incidence X-ray diffraction from the first monolayer to thicker films. In contrast to films of the homologous H16CuPc molecule, the F16CuPc films exhibit the same structure independently from the deposition temperature. The films show a thickness-dependent polymorphism manifested in the in-plane crystal structure, which implies large differences in the molecular tilt within the cofacial stacking of the molecules.     

Modeling the interactions of phthalocyanines in water: from the Cu(II)-tetrasulphonate to the metal-free phthalocyanine

A quantum and statistical study on the effects of the ions Cu(2+) and SO(3)(-) in the solvent structure around the metal-free phthalocyanine (H(2)Pc) is presented. We developed an ab initio interaction potential for the system CuPc-H(2)O based on quantum chemical calculations and studied its transferability to the H(2)Pc-H(2)O and [CuPc(SO(3))(4)](4-)-H(2)O interactions. The use of the molecular dynamics technique allows the determination of energetic and structural properties of CuPc, H(2)Pc, and [CuPc(SO(3))(4)](4-) in water and the understanding of the keys for the different behaviors of the three phthalocyanine (Pc) derivatives in water. The inclusion of the Cu(2+) cation in the Pc structure reinforces the appearance of two axial water molecules and second-shell water molecules in the solvent structure, whereas the presence of SO(3)(-) anions implies a well defined hydration shell of about eight water molecules around them making the macrocycle soluble in water. Debye-Waller factors for axial water molecules have been obtained in order to examine the potential sensitivity of the extended x-ray absorption fine structure technique to detect the axial water molecules.     

基于p-6P异质诱导生长酞菁铜薄膜的NO2传感器

为实现室温下低浓度NO₂气体检测,制作了p-六联苯(p-6P)诱导层的酞菁铜有机薄膜传感器。利用原子力显微镜(AFM)研究了不同沉积速率下p-6P薄膜的生长规律,慢速沉积提供足够的分子扩散时间,利于薄膜横向生长,形成高度低、尺寸大的晶畴。在p-6P薄膜上生长了酞菁铜薄膜,可以清晰看到晶畴上酞菁铜薄膜的有序排列。利用X射线衍射(XRD)仪,阐明了p-6P对酞菁铜薄膜具有很好的诱导效应。通过对比不同沉积速率p-6P薄膜诱导的酞菁铜传感器性能,发现慢速沉积诱导层的酞菁铜器件有高的响应强度和低的回复时间。异质诱导生长的酞菁铜传感器响应强度是直接生长在二氧化硅上的酞菁铜传感器的2倍,回复时间是3.2 min,对浓度为1.0 × 10^-5的NO₂气体灵敏。     

Potassium-intercalated H(2)Pc films: Alkali-induced electronic and geometrical modifications

X-ray spectroscopy studies of potassium intercalated metal-free phthalocyanine multilayers adsorbed on Al(110) have been undertaken. Photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show the presence of several charge states of the molecules upon K intercalation, due to a charge transfer from the alkali. In addition, the comparison of valence band photoemission spectra with the density functional theory calculations of the density of states of the H(2)Pc(-) anion indicates a filling of the formerly lowest unoccupied molecular orbital by charge transfer from the alkali. This is further confirmed by x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies, which show a decreased density of unoccupied states. XAS measurements in different experimental geometries reveal that the molecules in the pristine film are standing upright on the surface or are only slightly tilted away from the surface normal but upon K intercalation, the molecular orientation is changed in that the tilt angle of the molecules increases.     

Molecular interface effect of heterogeneous molecular junctions consisting of nonfluorinated and fluorinated phthalocyanines

We report the tunneling behavior of homogeneous and heterogeneous molecular junctions using p-type molecules of iron phthalocyanine (FePc), phthalocyanine (H(2)Pc), and copper(II) octaalkoxyl substituted phthalocyanine (CuPcOC8) and n-type molecule of copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (F(16)CuPc). The molecular films formed on the electrode surfaces were inspected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The measured characteristic tunneling curves of single-component phthalocyanines revealed comparable energy gaps for homogeneous tunneling junctions using the photoemission method. In contrast, for the heterogeneous tunnel junctions of mixed phthalocyanines including fluorinated phthalocyanine a distinctive offset of the energy gaps to the positive bias voltage direction can be clearly identified. It is suggested that the substitution of phthalocyanines and surface affinity of phthalocyanines could contribute to the controlled phase separation within the heterogeneous tunneling junctions. The apparent shift of the tunneling spectra is attributed to the existence of an internal electric field originated with the phase separation of the binary mixture of p-type and n-type phthalocyanines within the tunneling junction.     

酞菁铜溶解性研究及其电沉积薄膜的制备

通过测定α-酞菁铜(α-CuPc)在4种不同的有机溶剂中的紫外可见光吸收光谱,研究了不同溶剂以及加入不同量的三氟乙酸(TFAA)对酞菁铜溶解性和质子化的影响.以溶解性研究为基础,探讨了在电化学沉积法制备酞菁铜薄膜时不同工艺条件对其形貌的影响.实验结果表明:加入TFAA后,酞菁铜在硝基甲烷和氯仿中溶解良好,而且在氯仿中更容易质子化;使用扫描电镜(SEM)表征,结果表明TFAA及酞菁铜摩尔含量对薄膜制备的影响最为明显.     

Atypical Film-Forming Behavior of Soluble Tetra-3-Nitro-Substituted Copper Phthalocyanine

Thin films of metal phthalocyanines (MPc) are known to exhibit excellent physical properties but poorly controlled morphologies. Therefore, the present work seeks to understand the film growth mechanism of a model compound for potentially usable MPc, specifically, copper tetra(3-nitro-5-tert-butyl)phthalocyanine (CuPc*). The Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) technique was applied to prepare a series of CuPc* films under different processing conditions. The film growth was examined by Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) on the water surface and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) from the solid films. Neutron reflectometry (NR) measurements of the water uptake into the films and computer simulation of hydrated CuPc* were performed to substantiate an idea of colloidal MPc-water aggregates as nanoscale precursors of smooth solid films. This idea appears fruitful in terms of materials chemistry.     

Effects of Langmuir-Blodgett Film as Hole Transport Layer on Organic Electroluminescent Device Performance

Three types of organic electroluminescence(EL) cells with organic material FY as the EL-emitting layer and a copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) as the hole transport layer which were sandwiched between indium/tinoxde(ITO) and aluminum electrode have been fabricated by vacuum-vapor and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition:(a) ITO/FY/Al;(b)ITO/CuPc/FY/Al;(c) ITO/CuPc(LB)/FY/Al. It was found for the first time that the cell with the LB film as the hole transport layer has the highest luminescent intensity at the same bias-voltage. These results are attributed to the order orientation of the CuPc molecule in the layer of LB film.