Issue 30, 2007

Photoinduced electron injection in black dye sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 films

Abstract

Photoinduced electron injection in nanocrystalline TiO2 films sensitized with black dye [trithiocyanato(4,4′,4″-tricarboxy-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine)ruthenium(II), Ru(tcterpy)(NCS)3] was studied by means of transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. We examined the effect of the additive 4-tert-butylpyridine (TBP) in acetonitrile, which is known to markedly improve the performance of solar cell devices. The efficiency of electron injection for the film immersed in acetonitrile was 50% higher than that for the film dried in air. Femtosecond TA measurements indicated that this efficiency enhancement was due to the opening of an additional injection pathway from a lower-lying energy level. Upon the addition of 1 M TBP, which is known to raise the level of the conduction band of TiO2, the enhancement induced by acetonitrile disappeared. We discuss the mechanism of electron injection by comparing our results with results previously reported for the N3/TiO2 system.

Graphical abstract: Photoinduced electron injection in black dye sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 films

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 Feb 2007
Accepted
27 Apr 2007
First published
15 May 2007

J. Mater. Chem., 2007,17, 3190-3196

Photoinduced electron injection in black dye sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 films

R. Katoh, A. Furube, M. Kasuya, N. Fuke, N. Koide and L. Han, J. Mater. Chem., 2007, 17, 3190 DOI: 10.1039/B702805A

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