This study explores the effect of substitution of selenium (Se) for sulfur (S) on the photophysical properties of a series of π-conjugated donor-acceptor-donor chromophores based on 4,7-bis(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (TBT). The effect of Se substitution is studied systematically, where the substitution is in the thiophene donors only, the benzothiadiazole acceptor only, and in all of the positions. The fluorescence quantum yield decreases with an increase in Se substitution. Nanosecond-microsecond transient absorption and singlet oxygen sensitization experiments show that the effect of Se is due to an increase in the rate and efficiency of intersystem crossing with increased Se substitution. The relationship between intersystem crossing efficiency and heteroatom substitution pattern shows that the effects are largest when the heavy atom Se is in the acceptor benzothiadiazole unit. DFT calculations support the hypothesis that the effect arises because the LUMO is concentrated in the acceptor moiety, enhancing the spin-orbit coupling effect imparted by the Se atom.
We report a systematic study that explores how the triplet excited state is influenced by conjugation length in a series of benzothiadiazole units containing donor-acceptor-donor (DAD)-type platinum acetylide oligomers and polymer. The singlet and triplet excited states for the series were characterized by an array of photophysical methods including steady-state luminescence spectroscopy and femtosecond-nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. In addition to the experimental work, a computational study using density functional theory was conducted to gain more information about the structure, composition, and energies of the frontier molecular orbitals. It is observed that both the singlet and triplet excited states are mainly localized on a single donor-acceptor-donor unit in the oligomers. Interestingly, it is discovered that the intersystem crossing efficiency increases dramatically in the longer oligomers. The effect is attributed to an enhanced contribution of the heavy metal platinum in the frontier orbitals (HOMO and LUMO), an effect that leads to enhanced spin-orbit coupling.
We report on quadrupolar (donor)2-acceptor sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The acceptor units are based on dithieno[2,3-a:3',2'-c]phenazine and dithieno[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine coupled to thiophene donors. The optoelectronic and photophysical properties of two sets of isomers reveal a rigid structure for linear isomers and an efficient nonradiative decay for branched isomers. These sensitizers were integrated into DSSCs, and the quadrupolar structure is an operational design, as the IPCE reached up to 38% from 400 nm to 600 nm. The lengthening of the donor chain increases the efficiency, demonstrating the appeal of these oligomeric dyes for DSSCs.
Self-assembled bilayers on nanocrystalline metal oxide films are an increasingly popular strategy for modulating electron and energy transfer at dye-semiconductor interfaces. A majority of the work to date has relied on Zr and Zn linking ions to assemble the films. In this report, we demonstrate that several different cations (Cd, Cu, Fe, La, Mn, and Sn) are not only effective in generating the bilayer assemblies but also have a profound influence on the stability and photophysical properties of the films. Bilayer films with Zr ions exhibited the highest photostability on both TiO and ZrO. Despite the metal ions having a minimal influence on the absorption/emission energies and oxidation potentials of the dye, bilayers composed of Cu, Fe, and Mn exhibit significant excited-state quenching. The excited-state quenching decreases the electron injection yield but also, for Cu and Mn bilayers, significantly slows the back electron transfer kinetics.
Two sets of conjugated polyelectrolytes with different molecular weights (Mn) in each set were synthesized. All polymers feature the same conjugated backbone with alternating (1,4-phenylene) and (2,5-thienylene ethynylene) repeating units, but different linkages between the backbone and side chains, namely, oxy-methylene (-O-CH2-) (P1-O-n, where n = 7, 9, and 14) and methylene (-CH2-) (P2-C-n, n = 7, 12, and 18). They all bear carboxylic acid moieties as side chains, which bind strongly to titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. The two sets of polymers were used as light-harvesting materials in dye-sensitized solar cells. Despite the difference in molecular weight, polymers within each set have very similar light absorption properties. Interestingly, under the same working conditions, the overall cell efficiency of the P1-O-n series increases with a decreasing molecular weight while the efficiency of the P2-C-n series remains constant regardless of the molecular weight. Steady state photophysical measurements and dynamic light scattering investigation prove that P1-O-n polymers aggregate in solution while P2-C-n series are in the monomeric state. In P1-O-n series, a higher-molecular weight polymer results in a larger aggregate, which reduces the amount of polymers that are adsorbed onto TiO2 films and overall cell efficiency.
Pyridine terminated donor–acceptor π-conjugated oligomers have been prepared and their absorption and emission properties have been evaluated with respect to protonation and metalation.
A series of atactic polystyrene-based polymers was synthesized that contains grafted π-conjugated organic and organometallic chromophores to investigate two-photon light-harvesting properties. The polymers feature 4-(diphenylamino)fluorene (DPAF) and Pt−DPAF as π-conjugated units which are known to be moderately efficient two-photon absorption (2PA) chromophores. The polymers were synthesized by reversible addition−fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization of 4-chloromethylstyrene, and following substitution of Cl by N 3 , the DPAF and Pt−DPAF chromophores were grafted onto the polymer via the coppercatalyzed azide−alkyne click reaction. The loading of Pt−DPAF units in the polymers was varied from 0 to 20% by varying the feed ratio in the click reactions. With an increase in the Pt−DPAF content, the fluorescence quantum yield from the DPAF singlet excited state decreases and fluorescence is replaced by phosphorescence characteristic of the Pt−DPAF units at 530 nm. The emission lifetime and ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy confirm that rapid and efficient singlet energy transfer occurs from DPAF to DPAF− Pt. Excitation of the polymers with 100 fs, near-infrared pulses gives rise to upconverted emission, and the observed emission spectra are similar to those under one-photon excitation. The results indicate that the DPAF units effectively function as 2-photon absorption light-harvesting units, transferring the excitation to the Pt−DPAF units where intersystem crossing occurs efficiently. Taken together, the results point the way to development of novel polymer-based optical power-limiting materials for ultrashort and long optical pulses.
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