Effect of TiO₂ on Altering Direction of Interfacial Charge Transfer in a TiO₂‐Ag‐MPY‐FePc System by SERS

Abstract

Interfacial charge transfer (CT) is of interest owing to its effect on the performance of molecular photovoltaic (PV) devices. The characteristics and structures of interfacial materials, such as TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in some solar cells, are employed to adjust the CT process. In this study, three kinds of interfacial systems, including a solar cell‐like TiO2‐Ag‐ p‐mercaptopyridine (MPY)‐ iron phthalocyanine (FePc) system, are compared to investigate the interfacial CT process using surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The SERS results show the significance of TiO2 NPs in the system on altering the direction and path of the interfacial CT, which is closely associated with the CT enhancement contribution to SERS in such an interfacial system. SERS spectroscopy is expected to be a promising technique for the exploration and estimation of the interfacial CT behavior in PV devices, which may further extend the applications of SERS in the field of solar cells.

Flexible and Reusable Ag Coated TiO2 Nanotube Arrays for Highly Sensitive SERS Detection of Formaldehyde

“…However, Raman spectroscopy has the disadvantages of very weak signals and low reproducibility due to the inelastic scattering of radiation. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), a fast, sensitive, and nondestructive spectroscopy tool for identifying and detecting chemical/biological species, has received considerable attention because it significantly amplifies the effect of adsorbed molecules on the target Raman signal [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. SERS was first used in 1973 with pyridine adsorbed on rough silver [19].…”

An Efficient Strategy for Boosting Photogenerated Charge Separation by Using Porphyrins as Interfacial Charge Mediators

“…We describe herein an ovel charge transfer system designed with BiVO 4 as ap rototype.I nt his system, porphyrins act as an interfacial-charge-transfer mediator,l ike avolleyball setter,toefficiently suppress surface recombination through higher hole-transfer kinetics rather than as atraditional photosensitizer.Furthermore,wefound that the introduction of a" setter" can ensure al ong lifetime of charge carriers at the photoanode/electrolyte interface.This simple interface chargemodulation system exhibits increased photocurrent density from 0.68 to 4.75 mA cm À2 and provides ap romising design strategy for efficient photogenerated charge separation to improve PEC performance.Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an environmentally friendly and renewable approach for the conversion of solar power into chemical energy. [1][2][3][4] TheP EC process is mainly divided into three steps, [5][6][7][8][9] including adequate light harvesting,e ffective charge separation, and af ast surface reaction. [10,11] Unfortunately,many photocatalysts suffer from severe surface recombination [12] at the photoanode/electrolyte junction, which significantly hampers their application in photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic systems.Recently,b yl oading oxygen evolution cocatalysts (OECs), such as transition-metal (Fe, Co,N i) oxides and hydroxides (i.e., binary and ternary compounds), on the photoanodes (e.g.,n -Fe 2 O 3 , [13,14] n-BiVO 4 , [15] WO 3 [16] ), the PEC performance could be enhanced.…”

“…Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an environmentally friendly and renewable approach for the conversion of solar power into chemical energy. [1][2][3][4] TheP EC process is mainly divided into three steps, [5][6][7][8][9] including adequate light harvesting,e ffective charge separation, and af ast surface reaction. [10,11] Unfortunately,many photocatalysts suffer from severe surface recombination [12] at the photoanode/electrolyte junction, which significantly hampers their application in photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic systems.…”

An Efficient Strategy for Boosting Photogenerated Charge Separation by Using Porphyrins as Interfacial Charge Mediators

“…Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an environmentally friendly and renewable approach for the conversion of solar power into chemical energy . The PEC process is mainly divided into three steps, including adequate light harvesting, effective charge separation, and a fast surface reaction . Unfortunately, many photocatalysts suffer from severe surface recombination at the photoanode/electrolyte junction, which significantly hampers their application in photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic systems.…”