Preparation and photoelectrochemical characterization of thin SnO[sub 2] nanocrystalline semiconductor films and their sensitization with Bis(2,2[prime]-bipyridine)(2,2[prime]-bipyridine-4,4[prime]-dicarboxylic acid)ruthenium(II) complex

Journal Article · Thu Apr 14 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100066a037· OSTI ID:7267850

Bedja, I; Hotchandani, S ^[1]; Kamat, P V ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Notre Dame, IN (United States) Universite du Quebec, Trois Rivieres, Quebec (Canada)
2. Univ. of Notre Dame, IN (United States)

Thin, transparent films of SnO[sub 2] semiconductor have been prepared from 30-A-diameter colloids. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction studies indicate a three-dimensional network of SnO[sub 2] nanocrystallites of particle diameter [le]50 [angstrom]. These thin nanocrystalline films exhibit reversible electrochromic effects. The electron trapping process in SnO[sub 2] particles has been investigated by both spectroelectrochemical and laser flash photolysis techniques. These electrodes are photoelectrochemically active in the UV region with incident photon-to-photocurrent conversion efficiency of 20% at 280 nm. The photocurrent increases with increasing film thickness but attains a limiting value at thickness greater than 0.75 [mu]m. The migration of charge across the grain boundaries is a limiting factor for the photocurrent generation in thicker films. These SnO[sub 2] films are highly porous and exhibit strong affinity for adsorption of sensitizer molecules such as bis(2,2[prime]-bipyridine) (2,2[prime]-bipyridine-4,4[prime]-dicarboxylic acid)ruthenium(II) perchlorate (Ru(bpy)[sub 2](dcbpy)[sup 2+]). SnO[sub 2] films modified with Ru(bpy)[sub 2](dcbpy)[sup 2+] exhibit excellent photoelectrochemical response in the visible with a power conversion efficiency of [approximately] 1% at 470 nm. 39 refs., 10 figs.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-91ER45439
• OSTI ID: 7267850
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 98:15; ISSN 0022-3654
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
EFFICIENCY
RUTHENIUM COMPLEXES
ADSORPTION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
PHOTOLYSIS
SYNTHESIS
SENSITIZERS
TIN OXIDES
AFFINITY
CHARGE TRANSPORT
COLLOIDS
ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY CONVERSION
ELECTROCHROMISM
ELECTRONS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
LASER RADIATION
LUMINESCENCE
PHOTOCURRENTS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COHERENT SCATTERING
COMPLEXES
CONVERSION
CURRENTS
DECOMPOSITION
DIFFRACTION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
FERMIONS
FILMS
LEPTONS
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
RADIATIONS
REAGENTS
SCATTERING
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SORPTION
TIN COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
360602* - Other Materials- Structure & Phase Studies
400102 - Chemical & Spectral Procedures
400201 - Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
400500 - Photochemistry