Visualizing interfacial charge transfer in Ru-dye sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles using x-ray transient absorption spectroscopy.
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering 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 Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1011829
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/XSD/JA-69344; TRN: US201109%%647
- Journal Information:
- J. Phys. Chem. Lett., Vol. 2, Issue Mar. 1, 2011; ISSN 1948-7185
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
Similar Records
Femtosecond IR study of excited-state relaxation and electron-injection dynamics of Ru(dcbpy){sub 2}(NCS){sub 2} in solution and on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films
Dye Aggregation, Photostructural Reorganization and Multiple Concurrent Dye···TiO2 Binding Modes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Working Electrodes Containing Benzothiadiazole-Based Dye RK-1