Solid-state photoelectron transfer in powdery nanocomposites comprised of a sensitiser, photoacid generators and silica nanoparticles

The dry beads milling of a mixture of 9,10-dipropoxyanthracene (DPA) as an electron donor and surface-modified silica nanoparticles was conducted in the absence or in the presence of a photoacid generator (PAG) as an electron acceptor to give powdery nanocomposites. Fluorescence measurements indicated no mechanochemical change in the crystal structure of DPA after the nanohybridisation. The co-milling with PAG resulted in solid-state fluorescence quenching, whereas quenching efficiency was considerably dependent on the nature of PAG. The solid-state sensitised photoacid generation through the electron transfer was demonstrated by the solid-state photocolouration of leuco-dye of crystal violet lactone.