Dye sensitization of a large band gap semiconductor by an iron(III) complex

The Fe(III) complex, [Fe^III(HQS)₃] (HQS = 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid), is found to effect sensitization of the large band gap semiconductor, TiO₂. The role of interfacial electron transfer in sensitization of TiO₂ nanoparticles by surface adsorbed [Fe^III(HQS)₃] was studied using femtosecond time scale transient absorption spectroscopy. Electron injection has been confirmed by direct detection of the electron in the conduction band. A TiO₂-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was fabricated using [Fe^III(HQS)₃] as a sensitizer, and the resulting DSSC exhibited an open-circuit voltage value of 425 mV. The value of the short-circuit photocurrent was found to be 2.5 mA/cm². The solar to electric power conversion efficiency of the [Fe^III(HQS)₃] sensitized TiO₂-based DSSC device was 0.75 %. The results are discussed in the context of sensitization of TiO₂ by other Fe(II)-dye complexes.     

Vibrational phase relaxation along the critical isochore of nitrogen: the role of local density fluctuations in the rate enhancement

Vibrational dephasing of the nitrogen molecule is known to show highly interesting anomalies near its gas-liquid critical point. Here we present theoretical and computational studies of the Raman linewidth of nitrogen along the critical isochore. The linewidth is found to have a lambda-shaped temperature dependence near the critical point. As observed in experimental studies, the calculated line shape becomes Gaussian as the critical temperature (T(c)) is approached. Both the present simulation and a mode coupling theory analysis show that the slow decay of the enhanced density fluctuations near the critical point, probed at the subpicosecond time scales by vibrational frequency modulation, along with an enhanced vibration-rotation coupling, are the main causes of the observed anomalies.     

Intra-Channel Collision of Dual-Power Law Optical Solitons

The intra-channel collision of optical solitons, with dual-power law nonlinearity, is studied in this paper by the aid of quasi-particle theory. The perturbation terms that are considered in this paper are the nonlinear gain and saturable amplifiers along with filters. The suppression of soliton-soliton interaction, in presence of these perturbation terms, is acheived. The numerical simulations support the quasi-particle theory. OCIS codes: 060.2310; 060.4510; 060.5530; 190.3270; 190.4370.     

SENSITIZER-INDUCED CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES IN LENS CRYSTALLIN—II. PHOTODYNAMIC ACTION OF RIBOFLAVIN ON BOVINE α-CRYSTALLIN

Abstract— Photolysis of α-crystallin in the presence of riboflavin under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions causes a rapid decrease in Trp emission; photooxidation most likely occurs via non-covalent complex formation between the sensitizer molecule and the substrate. However, the change in the tertiary structure of the protein, as manifested in the near-UV CD, is very different between aerobic and anaerobic photolysis. Riboflavin-sensitized reaction under aerobic condition causes a major change in the microenvironments of thiol groups as well as in the near-UV CD, whereas under anaerobic condition the change in the near-UV CD is much less and SH-group environments remain unaltered. The sensitizer in this photoinduced change in conformation of the protein is very selective and specific.     

Ferromagnetically coupled cobalt-benzene-cobalt: the smallest molecular spin filter with unprecedented spin injection coefficient

Here, we predict that the ferromagnetically coupled cobalt-benzene-cobalt system will act as the smallest molecular spin filter with unprecedented spin injection coefficient. To validate our in-silico observation, we have performed state-of-the-art nonequilibrium Green's function calculations and analyzed the density of states of cobalt at the relativistic and nonrelativistic level of theory. Remarkably, we found that unpaired 3d electrons of cobalt are not participating in the spin transport process like other transition metal containing multidecker complexes. Instead, an admixture of the outer-sphere 4s and 4p orbitals of cobalt along with the 2p orbital of carbon of the benzene moiety is contributing to the singly occupied highest molecular orbital in the majority spin channel that creates a path for coherent spin transport leading to the extremely high spin injection coefficient of the system. The absence of the 3d electrons of cobalt in the spin transport process has been carefully examined, and it was found that the nodal structure of the 3d orbital of cobalt is not at all suitable for bonding in the cobalt-benzene-cobalt system. The whole study indicates that the underlying mechanism of the spin filter action in cobalt-benzene-cobalt is completely distinctive from the other known materials.     

Molecular interaction of organic dyes in bulk and confined media

Molecular interactions of five thiazine dyes with increasing alkyl substitution have been studied in aqueous and microemulsion media at 303 K within a concentration range of (1.35–7.00) × 10^?4 M. The dimerization constant (K_d) values for the five dyes are ranged between 1.761 and 6.258 × 10³ l mol^?1 in bulk water media, where as in microemulsion media, K_d's are ranged between 1.760 and 4.110 × 10³ l mol^?1. Thionine (with no methyl substitution) and azure A (with two methyl substitution) displayed slightly larger K_d values in microemulsion water pools compared to bulk water while other dyes recorded significant drop in K_d values. The influence of microemulsion media on the molecular interaction of dyes has been explained in terms of electrostatic and hydrophobic factors. The monomer and the dimer spectra are explained in terms of molecular exciton model and the optical absorption parameters of both the species are reported in bulk and confined media.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of some cyclic and acyclic ketones by dodecatungstocobaltate(III)—A comparative study

The kinetics of oxidation of cyclohexanone(chxn), 2-butanone(but), and 1,3-dihydroxy-2-propanone (dhp) have been investigated in aqueous acidic media. A first-order dependence in complex is obtained at high acid and low oxidant concentration for these ketones. However, a zero-order rate prevails at high oxidant and low acid concentration, and this rate has been shown to be the acid catalyzed enolization rate of the ketone. A general rate expression has been derived to explain these behaviors and plausible mechanism has been offered by assuming the enol as the reactive species.     

Influence of Size and Shape on the Photocatalytic Properties of SnO2 Nanocrystals

Tuning the functional properties of nanocrystals is an important issue in nanoscience. Here, we are able to tune the photocatalytic properties of SnO₂ nanocrystals by controlling their size and shape. A structural analysis was carried out by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD)/Rietveld and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results reveal that the number of oxygen‐related defects varies upon changing the size and shape of the nanocrystals, which eventually influences their photocatalytic properties. Time‐resolved spectroscopic studies of the carrier relaxation dynamics of the SnO₂ nanocrystals further confirm that the electron–hole recombination process is controlled by oxygen/defect states, which can be tuned by changing the shape and size of the materials. The degradation of dyes (90 %) in the presence of SnO₂ nanoparticles under UV light is comparable to that (88 %) in the presence of standard TiO₂ Degussa P‐25 (P25) powders. The photocatalytic activity of the nanoparticles is significantly higher than those of nanorods and nanospheres because the effective charge separation in the SnO₂ nanoparticles is controlled by defect states leading to enhanced photocatalytic properties. The size‐ and shape‐dependent photocatalytic properties of SnO₂ nanocrystals make these materials interesting candidates for photocatalytic applications.