Photoelectrochemistry of biomimetic molecules. Spectral sensitization of wide band gap oxide semiconductor electrodes by supramolecular organic dyes

MIGUEL GERVALDO, FERNANDO FUNGO, M. ELISA MILANESIO, LUIS OTERO, EDGARDO N. DURANTINI, JUANA. J. SILBER, LEONIDES E. SERENO

Journal of the Argentine Chemical Society

ASOCIACIÓN QUÝMICA ARGENTINA

Año: 2003 vol. 91 p. 153 - 168

0365-0375

The generation of photoelectrical effects through the spectral sensitization of wide band gap semiconductor electrode by the excitation of a series of novel synthetic organic molecules is reviewed. Natural Photosynthetic-related supramolecular systems where designed and constructed in order to obtain “antenna” and intramolecular charge transfer process. The dyes were adsorbed to saturation on nanocrystalline SnO2 thin films or deposited as Langmuir-Blodgett films, and employed as working electrodes in a photoelectrochemical cell. The close match between the photocurrent action spectrum and the absorption spectrum showed that the photosensitization mechanism is operative in extending the photocurrent response to the visible region, and demonstrated that the excitation of organic dyes results in the generation of photoelectric effects, with high yield and light harvesting capacity