Copper Coordination Complexes for Energy-Relevant Applications

Abstract

Copper coordination complexes have emerged as a group of transition metal complexes that play important roles in solar energy conversion, utilization and storage, and have the potential to replace the quintessential commonly used transition metals, like Co, Pt, Ir and Ru as light sensitizers, redox mediators, electron donors and catalytic centers. The applications of copper coordination compounds in chemistry and energy related technologies are many and demonstrate their rightful place as sustainable, low toxicity and Earth-abundant alternative materials. In this perspective we show the most recent impact made by copper coordination complexes in dye-sensitized solar cells and other energy relevant applications.

Solar energy conversion using first row d-block metal coordination compound sensitizers and redox mediators

“…Copper-based redox mediators 70,[103][104][105] entered the arena in 2005, 106 but little further progress was made until a report from Bai et al in 2011. 107 This was followed by highly promising results from Li et al, 108 Magni et al, 109 Freitag et al 110 and Saygili et al 111 Homoleptic bis(diimine)copper(I) complexes such as [Cu(bpy) 2 ] + and [Cu(phen) 2 ] + are tetrahedral, while the corresponding copper(II) compounds are tetragonal.…”

“…In the solid state, the zinc(II) complex forms a coordination network [Zn(105) 2 ] n , and the material is soluble in polar solvents including DMSO, EtOH and MeOH. The species present in EtOH solution, formulated here as [Zn (105) 2 ], has a broad absorption maximum at 392 nm. Photoanodes were co-sensitized with [Zn(105) 2 ] and N719 by sequential dipping in dye baths of single dyes (Zn(II) then N719).…”

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence in luminescent cationic copper(i) complexes

“…8 ). 47 As stated before, this work is predominantly focused on describing the TADF properties of cationic tetracoordinate Cu( i ) complexes of the type [Cu(N^N) 2 ] + and [Cu(N^N)(P^P)] + . A handful of reviews and recent reports that cover the photophysical and photochemical properties of the other types of Cu( i ) TADF complexes are available in the literature.…”

Synthesis and crystal structure of copper(I) iodine complexes with 1-allyl-1H-benzimidazole

“…Зокрема, для таких сполук характерні широкий спектр способів топологічної побудови кристалічної ґратки [3], перспективна з точки зору практичного впровадження протиракова дія [4], каталітична активність [5], тощо. Також відомо, що купрумвмісні сполуки важливі для технологій генерації, передавання і накопичення енергії [6], а бензімідазол та його похідні доволі широко використовують у медицині та промисловості [7][8][9][10].…”