Colloidal nanocrystal ZnO- and TiO2-modified electrodes sensitized with chlorophyll a and carotenoids: a photoelectrochemical study
Source abstract
Abstract
Heterostructures formed of films of organic-capped ZnO and TiO2 nanocrystals (both with the size of ca. 6 nm) and photosynthetic pigments were prepared and characterized. The surface of optically transparent electrodes (Indium Tin Oxide) was modified with nanocrystals and prepared by colloidal synthetic routes. The nanostructured electrodes were sensitized by a mixture of chlorophyll a and carotenoids. The characterization of the hybrid structures, carried out by means of steady-state optical measurements, demonstrated such class of dyes able to extend the photoresponse of the large band-gap semiconductors. The charge-transfer processes between the components of the heterojunction were investigated, and photoelectrochemical measurements taken on the sensitized ZnO and TiO2 nanocrystals electrodes elucidated the photoactivity of the heterojunctions as a function of the dyes and of the red–ox mediator used in solution. The effect of methyl viologen as different red–ox mediator was also evaluated in order to show its effect on the heterojunction photoactivity. The overall results contributed to describe the photoelectrochemical potential of the investigated heterojunctions, highlighting a higher response of the dye-sensitized ZnO nanocrystals, and then provided the TiO2-modified counterparts.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells · Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques · Advanced Nanomaterials in Catalysis
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (68)
Show source-provided references
1. Agostiano A, Butcher KA, You JL, Showell MS, Gotch AJ, Fong FK (1987) Dipole-dipole transfer between acetone solvates of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll a dihydrate dimers in water/acetone mixtures. A model for P680 sensitized excitation. Chem Phys Lett 137:37–41. doi: 10.1016/0009-2614(87)80300-710.1016/0009-2614(87)80300-7 ↗
2. Agostiano A, Cosma P, Della Monica M, Fong FK (1990) Polarographic and wavelength-selected fluorescence excitation studies of chlorophyll a aggregation in water containing trace amounts of acetone. Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 23:301–310. doi: 10.1016/0302-4598(90)80018-E10.1016/0302-4598(90)80018-E ↗
3. Agostiano A, Catucci L, Colafemmina G, Della Monica M, Scheer H (2000) Relevance of the chlorophyll phytyl chain on lamellar phase formation and organisation. Biophys Chem 84:189–194. doi: 10.1016/S0301-4622(00)00137-X10.1016/S0301-4622(00)00137-X ↗
4. Agostiano A, Catucci L, Colafemmina G, Scheer H (2002) Role of functional groups and surfactant charge in regulating chlorophyll aggregation in micellar solutions. J Phys Chem B 106:1446–1454. doi: 10.1021/jp011718j10.1021/jp011718j ↗
5. Ballschmiter K, Katz JJ (1969) Infrared study of chlorophyll–chlorophyll and chlorophyll-water interactions. J Am Chem Soc 91:2661–2677. doi: 10.1021/ja01038a04410.1021/ja01038a044 ↗
6. Ballschmiter K, Katz JJ (1972) Chlorophyll–chlorophyll and chlorophyll–water interactions in the solid state. Biochim Biophys Acta 256:307–327. doi: 10.1016/0005-2728(72)90062-X10.1016/0005-2728(72)90062-X ↗
7. Butler MA, Ginley DS (1980) Principles of photoelectrochemical, solar energy conversion. J Mater Sci 15:1–19. doi: 10.1007/BF0055242110.1007/BF00552421 ↗
8. Chou TP, Zhang Q, Fryxell GE, Cao GZ (2007) Hierarchically structured ZnO film for dye-sensitized solar cells with enhanced energy conversion efficiency. Adv Mater 19:2588–2592. doi: 10.1002/adma.20060292710.1002/adma.200602927 ↗
9. Cozzoli PD, Curri ML, Agostiano A, Leo G, Lomascolo M (2003a) ZnO nanocrystals by a non-hydrolytic route: synthesis and characterization. J Phys Chem B 107:4756–4762. doi: 10.1021/jp027533+10.1021/jp027533+ ↗
10. Cozzoli PD, Kornowski A, Weller H (2003b) Low-temperature synthesis of soluble and processable organic-capped anatase TiO2 nanorods. J Am Chem Soc 125:14539–14548. doi: 10.1021/ja036505h10.1021/ja036505h ↗
11. Curri ML, Petrella A, Striccoli M, Cozzoli PD, Cosma P, Agostiano A (2003) Photochemical sensitisation process at photosynthetic pigments/Q-sized colloidal semiconductor hetero-junctions. Synth Metal 139:593–596. doi: 10.1016/S0379-6779(03)00318-710.1016/S0379-6779(03)00318-7 ↗
12. Das S, Kamat PV (1999) Can H-aggregates serve as light-harvesting antennae? Triplet–triplet energy transfer between excited aggregates and monomer thionine in aersol-OT solutions. J Phys Chem B 103:209–215. doi: 10.1021/jp983816j10.1021/jp983816j ↗
13. Farhoosh R, Chynwat V, Gebhard R, Lungtenburg J, Frank HA (1997) Triplet energy transfer between the primary donor and carotenoids in rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26.1 reaction centers incorporated with spheroidene analogs having different extents of π-electron conjugation. Photochem Photobiol 66:97–104. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1997.tb03144.x10.1111/j.1751-1097.1997.tb03144.x ↗
14. Fidler V, Osborne AD (1980) Strong circular dichroism of chlorophyll a in 50:50 ethanol–water solution. J Chem Soc Chem Commun 22:1056. doi: 10.1039/C3980000105610.1039/C39800001056 ↗
15. Fujiwara M, Tasumi M (1986) Resonance Raman and infrared studies on axial coordination to chlorophylls a and b in vitro. J Phys Chem 90:250–255. doi: 10.1021/j100274a00910.1021/j100274a009 ↗
16. Gao FG, Bard AJ, Kispert LD (2000) Photocurrent generated on a carotenoid-sensitized TiO2 nanocrystalline mesoporous electrode. J Photochem Photobiol A 130:49–5610.1016/S1010-6030(99)00193-8 ↗
17. Gratzel M (1999) Mesoporous oxide junctions and nanostructured solar cells. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 4:314–321. doi: 10.1016/S1359-0294(99)90013-410.1016/S1359-0294(99)90013-4 ↗
18. Grätzel M (2001) Photoelectrochemical cells. Nature 414:338–344. doi: 10.1038/3510460710.1038/35104607 ↗
19. Gratzel M, Moser JE (2001) Solar energy conversion. In: Balzani V, Gould I (eds) Electron transfer in chemistry. Wiley, Weinheim, p 589
20. Hamann TW, Martinson AF, Elam JW, Pellin MJ, Hupp JT (2008) Aerogel templated ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells. Adv Mater 20:1560–1564. doi: 10.1002/adma.20070278110.1002/adma.200702781 ↗
21. Hashimoto K, Hiramoto M, Sakata T (1988) Photo-induced electron transfer from adsorbed rhodamine B to oxide semiconductor substrates in vacuo: semiconductor dependence. Chem Phys Lett 148:215–220. doi: 10.1016/0009-2614(88)80302-610.1016/0009-2614(88)80302-6 ↗
22. Hirata N, Lagref JJ, Palomares EJ, Durrant JR, Nazeeruddin MK, Gratzel M, Di Censo D (2004) Supramolecular control of charge-transfer dynamics on dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 films. Chem Eur J 10:595–602. doi: 10.1002/chem.20030540810.1002/chem.200305408 ↗
23. Hosono E, Fujihara S, Honma I, Zhou HS (2005) The fabrication of an upright-standing zinc oxide nanosheet for use in dye-sensitized solar cells. Adv Mater 17:2091–2094. doi: 10.1002/adma.20050027510.1002/adma.200500275 ↗
24. Hotchandani S, Kamat PV (1992) Modification of electrode surface with semiconductor colloids and its sensitization with chlorophyll a. Chem Phys Lett 192:320–326. doi: 10.1016/0009-2614(92)85308-W10.1016/0009-2614(92)85308-W ↗
25. Huang MH, Mao S, Feick H, Yan HQ, Yu YY, Kind H, Russo R, Yang PD (2001) Room-temperature ultraviolet nanowire nanolasers. Science 292:1897–1899. doi: 10.1126/science.106036710.1126/science.1060367 ↗
26. Ingrosso C, Petrella A, Curri ML, Striccoli M, Cosma P, Cozzoli PD, Agostiano A (2005) Photoelectrochemical properties of Zn(II) phthalocyanine/ZnO nanocrystals heterojunctions: nanocrystal surface chemistry effect. Appl Surf Sci 246:367–371. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2004.11.04110.1016/j.apsusc.2004.11.041 ↗
27. Iriyama K, Yoshiura M (1982) Selection of adsorbents for the separation of chlorophylls. J Liq Chromatogr 5:2211–2216. doi: 10.1080/0148391820806762910.1080/01483918208067629 ↗
28. Izaki M, Omi T (1996) Transparent zinc oxide films prepared by electrochemical reaction. Appl Phys Lett 68:2439–2441. doi: 10.1063/1.11616010.1063/1.116160 ↗
29. Kakiuchi K, Hosono E, Fujihara S (2006) Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of ZnO electrodes sensitized with N-719. J Photochem Photobiol A 179:81–86. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2005.07.01810.1016/j.jphotochem.2005.07.018 ↗
30. Kalyasundaram K, Gratzel M (1998) Applications of functionalized transition metal complexes in photonic and optoelectronic devices. Coord Chem Rev 177:347–414. doi: 10.1016/S0010-8545(98)00189-110.1016/S0010-8545(98)00189-1 ↗
31. Kay A, Grätzel M (1993) Artificial photosynthesis. 1. Photosensitization of titania solar cells with chlorophyll derivatives and related natural porphyrins. J Phys Chem 97:6272–6277. doi: 10.1021/j100125a02910.1021/j100125a029 ↗
32. Keis K, Lindgren J, Lindquist S, Hagfeldt A (2000) Studies of the adsorption process of Ru complexes in nanoporous ZnO electrodes. Langmuir 16:4688–4694. doi: 10.1021/la991270210.1021/la9912702 ↗
33. Khazraji AC, Hotchandani S, Das S, Kamat PV (1999) Controlling dye (Merocyanine-540) aggregation on nanostructured TiO2 films. An organized assembly approach for enhancing the efficiency of photosensitization. J Phys Chem B 103:4693–4700. doi: 10.1021/jp990311010.1021/jp9903110 ↗
34. Kirchhoff H, Hinz H-J, Rösgen J (2003) Aggregation and fluorescence quenching of chlorophyll a of the light-harvesting complex II from spinach in vitro. Biochim Biophys Acta 1606:105–116. doi: 10.1016/S0005-2728(03)00105-110.1016/S0005-2728(03)00105-1 ↗
35. Liu X, Wu X, Cao H, Chang RPH (2004) Growth mechanism and properties of ZnO nanorods synthesized by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. J Appl Phys 95:3141–3148. doi: 10.1063/1.164644010.1063/1.1646440 ↗
36. Mendoza-Alvarez JG, Cruz-Orea A, Zelaya-Angel O, Torres-Delgado G, Castanedo-Perez R, Mayen Hernandez SA, Marquez-Marin JJ (2005) Characterization of TiO2 thin films for photocatalysis applications using photoacoustic spectroscopy. J Phys IV France 125:407–409. doi: 10.1051/jp4:200512509510.1051/jp4:2005125095 ↗
37. Mullineaux CW, Pascal AA, Horton P, Holzwarth AR (1993) Excitation-energy quenching in aggregates of the LHC II chlorophyll-protein complex: a time-resolved fluorescence study. Biochim Biophys Acta 1141:23–28. doi: 10.1016/0005-2728(93)90184-H10.1016/0005-2728(93)90184-H ↗
38. Murray CB, Norris DJ, Bawendi MG (1993) Synthesis and characterization of nearly monodisperse CdE (E = sulfur, selenium, tellurium) semiconductor nanocrystallites. J Am Chem Soc 115:8706–8715. doi: 10.1021/ja00072a02510.1021/ja00072a025 ↗
39. Nielsen BR, Mortensen A, Jørgensen K, Skibsted LH (1996) Singlet versus triplet reactivity in photodegradation of C40 carotenoids. J Agric Food Chem 44:2106–2113. doi: 10.1021/jf950800710.1021/jf9508007 ↗
40. O’Regan B, Grätzel M (1991) A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films. Nature 353:737–74010.1038/353737a0 ↗
41. Omata T, Murata N (1980) A rapid and efficient method to prepare chlorophyll a and b from leaves. Photochem Photobiol 31:183–185. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1980.tb03702.x10.1111/j.1751-1097.1980.tb03702.x ↗
42. Omata T, Murata N (1983) Preparation of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and bacteriochlorophyll a by column chromatography with DEAE-sepharose CL-6B and sepharose CL-6B. Plant Cell Physiol 24(6):1093–1100
43. Pan J, Benkö G, Xu Y, Pascher T, Sun L, Sundström V, Tomáš Polívka T (2002) Photoinduced electron transfer between a carotenoid and TiO2 nanoparticle. J Am Chem Soc 124:13949–13957. doi: 10.1021/ja027918610.1021/ja0279186 ↗
44. Pan J, Xu Y, Sun L, Sundström V, Polívka T (2004) Carotenoid and pheophytin on semiconductor surface: self-assembly and photoinduced electron transfer. J Am Chem Soc 126:3066–3067. doi: 10.1021/ja031775l10.1021/ja031775l ↗
45. Petrella A, Cozzoli PD, Curri ML, Striccoli M, Cosma P, Agostiano A (2004) Photoelectrochemical study on photosynthetic pigments-sensitized nanocrystalline ZnO films. Bioelectrochemistry 63:99–102. doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2003.09.01610.1016/j.bioelechem.2003.09.016 ↗
46. Polìvka T, Sundstrom V (2004) Ultrafast dynamics of carotenoid excited states—from solution to natural and artificial systems. Chem Rev 104:2021–2071. doi: 10.1021/cr020674n10.1021/cr020674n ↗
47. Quintana M, Edvinsson T, Hagfeldt A, Boschloo G (2007) Comparison of dye-sensitized ZnO and TiO2 solar cells: studies of charge transport and carrier lifetime. J Phys Chem C 111:1035–1041. doi: 10.1021/jp065948f10.1021/jp065948f ↗
48. Rensmo H, Keis K, Lindstrom H, Sodergen S, Solbrand A, Hagfeldt A, Linquist SE (1997) High light-to-energy conversion efficiencies for solar cells based on nanostructured ZnO electrodes. J Phys Chem B 101:2598–2601. doi: 10.1021/jp962918b10.1021/jp962918b ↗
49. Saito M, Fujihara S (2008) Large photocurrent generation in dye-sensitized ZnO solar cells. Energy Environ Sci 1:280–283. doi: 10.1039/b806096g10.1039/b806096g ↗
50. Sakata T, Hashimoto K, Hiramoto M (1990) New aspects of electron transfer on semiconductor surface: dye-sensitization system. J Phys Chem 94:3040–3045. doi: 10.1021/j100370a05610.1021/j100370a056 ↗
51. Sato H, Ozaki Y, Uheara K, Araki T, Iriyama K (1993) ATR/FT-IR study of a monolayer film of chlorophyll-a on a germanium plate. Appl Spectrosc 47:1509–1512. doi: 10.1366/000370293406762110.1366/0003702934067621 ↗
52. Sato H, Ozaki Y, Oishi Y, Kuramori M, Suehiro K, Nakashima K, Uheara K, Iriyama K (1997) Control of molecular arrangement in langmuir–blodgett films of chlorophyll a prepared in various gas phases studied by ultraviolet–visible and infrared spectroscopies and atomic force microscopy. Langmuir 13:4676–4682. doi: 10.1021/la970113510.1021/la9701135 ↗
53. Shipway AN, Katz E, Willner I (2000) Nanoparticle arrays on surfaces for electronic, optical, and sensor applications. Chem Phys Chem 1:18–52. doi: 10.1002/1439-7641(20000804)10.1002/1439-7641(20000804)1:1<18::AID-CPHC18>3.0.CO;2-L ↗
54. Szentirmay R, Yeh P, Kuwana T (1977) Valuation of mediator-titrants for the indirect coulometric titration of biocomponents. In: Sawyer DT (ed) Electrochemical studies of biological systems. American Chemical Society, Washington, pp 143–16910.1021/bk-1977-0038.ch009 ↗
55. Tani T (1990) New aspects of the electron transfer mechanism for spectral sensitization and supersensitization. J Imaging Sci 3:143–148
56. Tasumi M, Fujiwara M (1987) Advances in spectroscopy. Wiley, Chichester
57. Tsubomura H, Matsumura M, Nomura Y, Amamiya T (1976) Dye sensitised zinc oxide: aqueous electrolyte: platinum photocell. Nature 261:402–403. doi: 10.1038/261402a0Letter10.1038/261402a0 ↗
58. Tweet AG, Bellamy WD, Gaines GL (1964) Fluorescence quenching and energy transfer in monomolecular films containing chlorophyll. J Chem Phys 41:2011–2068. doi: 10.1063/1.1726207
59. Volkov AG, Gugeshashvili MI, Zelent B, Cote D, Munger G, Tessier A, Blanchet P, Leblanc RM (1995) Light energy conversion with chlorophyll a and pheophytin a monolayers at the optically transparent SnO2 electrode: artificial photosynthesis. Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 38:333–342. doi: 10.1016/0302-4598(95)05021-Y10.1016/0302-4598(95)05021-Y ↗
60. Wang X-F, Xiang J, Wang P, Koyama Y, Yanagida S, Wada Y, Hamada K, Sasaki S-i, Tamiaki H (2005) Dye-sensitized solar cells using a chlorophyll a derivative as the sensitizer and carotenoids having different conjugation lengths as redox spacers. Chem Phys Lett 408:409–414. doi: 10.1016/j.cplett.2005.04.06710.1016/j.cplett.2005.04.067 ↗
61. Wang X-F, Matsuda A, Koyama Y, Nagae H, Sasaki S-i, Tamiaki H, Wada Y (2006) Effects of plant carotenoid spacers on the performance of a dye-sensitized solar cell using a chlorophyll derivative: enhancement of photocurrent determined by one electron-oxidation potential of each carotenoid. Chem Phys Lett 423:470–475. doi: 10.1016/j.cplett.2006.04.00810.1016/j.cplett.2006.04.008 ↗
62. Wang X-F, Koyama Y, Wada Y, Sasaki S-i, Tamiaki H (2007) A dye-sensitized solar cell using pheophytin–carotenoid adduct: enhancement of photocurrent by electron and singlet-energy transfer and by suppression of singlet–triplet annihilation due to the presence of the carotenoid moiety. Chem Phys Lett 439:115–120. doi: 10.1016/j.cplett.2007.03.06410.1016/j.cplett.2007.03.064 ↗
63. Wang X-F, Koyama Y, Nagae H, Wada Y, Sasaki S, Tamiaki H (2008) Dependence of photocurrent and conversion efficiency of titania-based solar cell on the Qy absorption and one electron-oxidation potential of pheophorbide sensitizer. J Phys Chem C 112:4418–4426. doi: 10.1021/jp710580h10.1021/jp710580h ↗
64. Wang X-F, Kitao O, Hosono E, Zhoua H, Sasaki S-I, Tamiaki H (2010) TiO2- and ZnO-based solar cells using a chlorophyll a derivative sensitizer for light-harvesting and energy conversion. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 210:145–152. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2010.01.00410.1016/j.jphotochem.2010.01.004 ↗
65. Westermark K, Rensmo H, Siegbahn H, Keis K, Hagfeldt A, Ojamal L, Persson P (2002) PES studies of Ru(dcbpyH2)2(NCS)2 adsorption on nanostructured ZnO for solar cell applications. J Phys Chem B 106:10102–10107. doi: 10.1021/jp014217710.1021/jp0142177 ↗
66. Willis R, Olson C, O’ Reagan B, Lutz T, Nelson J, Durrant JR (2002) Electron dynamics in nanocrystalline ZnO and TiO2 films probed by potential step chronoamperometry and transient absorption spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 106:7605–7613. doi: 10.1021/jp020231n10.1021/jp020231n ↗
67. Worcester DL, Michalski TJ, Katz JJ (1986) Small-angle neutron scattering studies of chlorophyll micelles: models for bacterial antenna chlorophyll. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:3791–379510.1073/pnas.83.11.3791 ↗
68. Zhang Q, Chou TP, Russo B, Jenekhe SA, Cao G (2008) Aggregation of ZnO nanocrystallites for high conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells. Angew Chem Int Ed 47:2402–2406. doi: 10.1002/anie.20070491910.1002/anie.200704919 ↗