Visualizing interfacial charge transfer in dye sensitized nanoparticles using x-ray transient absorption spectroscopy.

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jz200122r· OSTI ID:1050162

Zhang, X Y; Smolentsev, G; Guo, J; Attenkofer, K; Kurtz, C; Jennings, G; Lockard, J V; Stickrath, A B; Chen, L X ^[1]

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1. X-Ray Science Division

A molecular level understanding of the structural reorganization accompanying interfacial electron transfer is important for rational design of solar cells. Here we have applied XTA (X-ray transient absorption) spectroscopy to study transient structures in a heterogeneous interfacial system mimicking the charge separation process in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with Ru(dcbpy){sub 2}(NCS){sub 2} (RuN3) dye adsorbed to TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle surfaces. The results show that the average Ru-NCS bond length reduces by 0.06 {angstrom}, whereas the average Ru-N(dcbpy) bond length remains nearly unchanged after the electron injection. The differences in bond-order change and steric hindrance between two types of ligands are attributed to their structural response in the charge separation. This study extends the application of XTA into optically opaque hybrid interfacial systems relevant to the solar energy conversion.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC; ERC
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1050162
• Report Number(s): ANL/XSD/JA-67481
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 2; ISSN 1948-7185
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
BOND LENGTHS
DESIGN
DYES
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ELECTRONS
RUTHENIUM
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSIENTS