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Pattadar D, Arcidiacono A, Beery D, Hanson K, Saavedra SS. Molecular Orientation and Energy Transfer Dynamics of a Metal Oxide Bound Self-Assembled Trilayer. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:10670-10679. [PMID: 37466635 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembly of molecular multilayers via metal ion linkages has become an important strategy for interfacial engineering of metalloid and metal oxide (MOx) substrates, with applications in numerous areas, including energy harvesting, catalysis, and chemical sensing. An important aspect for the rational design of these multilayers is knowledge of the molecular structure-function relationships. For example, in a multilayer composed of different chromophores in each layer, the molecular orientation of each layer, both relative to the adjacent layers and the substrate, influences the efficiency of vectorial energy and electron transfer. Here, we describe an approach using UV-vis attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy to determine the mean dipole tilt angle of chromophores in each layer in a metal ion-linked trilayer self-assembled on indium-tin oxide. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the measurement of the orientation of three different chromophores in a single assembly. The ATR approach allows the adsorption of each layer to be monitored in real-time, and any changes in the orientation of an underlying layer arising from the adsorption of an overlying layer can be detected. We also performed transient absorption spectroscopy to monitor interlayer energy transfer dynamics in order to relate structure to function. We found that near unity efficiency, sub-nanosecond energy transfer between the third and second layer was primarily dictated by the distance between the chromophores. Thus, in this case, the orientation had minimal impact at such proximity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruba Pattadar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Ashley Arcidiacono
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Drake Beery
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Kenneth Hanson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - S Scott Saavedra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
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Knorr ES, Basquill CT, Bertini IA, Arcidiacono A, Beery D, Wheeler JP, Winfred JSRV, Strouse GF, Hanson K. Influence of Al 2O 3 Overlayers on Intermolecular Interactions between Metal Oxide Bound Molecules. Molecules 2023; 28:4835. [PMID: 37375390 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Intermolecular interactions on inorganic substrates can have a critical impact on the electrochemical and photophysical properties of the materials and subsequent performance in hybrid electronics. Critical to the intentional formation or inhibition of these processes is controlling interactions between molecules on a surface. In this report, we investigated the impact of surface loading and atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 overlayers on the intermolecular interactions of a ZrO2-bound anthracene derivative as probed by the photophysical properties of the interface. While surface loading density had no impact on the absorption spectra of the films, there was an increase in excimer features with surface loading as observed by both emission and transient absorption. The addition of ALD overlayers of Al2O3 resulted in a decrease in excimer formation, but the emission and transient absorption spectra were still dominated by excimer features. These results suggest that ALD may provide a post-surface loading means of influencing such intermolecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica S Knorr
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - Cody T Basquill
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - Isabella A Bertini
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - Ashley Arcidiacono
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - Drake Beery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - Jonathan P Wheeler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - J S Raaj Vellore Winfred
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - Geoffrey F Strouse
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
| | - Kenneth Hanson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390, USA
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Pattadar D, Zheng L, Robb AJ, Beery D, Yang W, Hanson K, Scott Saavedra S. Molecular Orientation of -PO 3H 2 and -COOH Functionalized Dyes on TiO 2, Al 2O 3, ZrO 2, and ITO: A Comparative Study. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2023; 127:2705-2715. [PMID: 36908684 PMCID: PMC9996377 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c08632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Modification of transparent metal oxide (MOx) surfaces with organic monolayers is widely employed to tailor the properties of interfaces in organic electronic devices, and MOx substrates modified with light-absorbing chromophores are a key component of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The effects of an organic modifier on the performance of a MOx-based device are frequently assessed by performing experiments on model monolayer|MOx interfaces, where an "inert" MOx (e.g., Al2O3) is used as a control for an "active" MOx (e.g., TiO2). An underlying assumption in these studies is that the structure of the MOx-monolayer complex is similar between different metal oxides. The validity of this assumption was examined in the present study. Using UV-Vis attenuated total reflection spectroscopy, we measured the mean dipole tilt angle of 4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene)diphosphonic acid (A1P) adsorbed on indium tin oxide (ITO), TiO2, ZrO2, and Al2O3. When the surface roughness of the MOx substrate and the surface coverage (𝛤) of the A1P film were constant, the molecular orientation of A1P was the same on these substrates. The study was extended to 4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene)dicarboxylic acid (A1C) adsorbed on the same group of MOx substrates. The mean tilt angle of A1C and A1P films on ITO was the same, which is likely due the intermolecular interactions resulting from the high and approximately equal 𝛤 of both films. Comparing A1C films at the same 𝛤 on TiO2 and Al2O3 having the same surface roughness, there was no difference in the mean tilt angle. MD simulations of A1C and A1P on TiO2 produced nearly identical tilt angle distributions, which supports the experimental findings. This study provides first experimental support for the assumption that the structure of the MOx-modifer film is the same on an "active" substrate vs. a "inert" control substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruba Pattadar
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Lianqing Zheng
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Alex J. Robb
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Drake Beery
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Kenneth Hanson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - S. Scott Saavedra
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
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Arcidiacono A, Robb AJ, Masitas RA, Salpage SR, McLeod GM, Chen J, Ogunsolu OO, Roper MG, Hanson K. Inhibited interlayer electron transfer in metal ion linked multilayers on mesoporous metal oxide films. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpap.2021.100088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Beery D, Schmidt TW, Hanson K. Harnessing Sunlight via Molecular Photon Upconversion. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:32601-32605. [PMID: 34228449 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c08159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Molecular photon upconversion via triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA-UC) is an intriguing strategy to harness sub-bandgap photons and surpass the Shockley-Queisser (SQ) limit for solar energy conversion. In this perspective, we briefly summarize the progress to date harnessing TTA-UC in solar cells using both optically and electrically coupled schemes. We then highlight the efficiency limiting processes for these schemes and outline possible paths toward upconverted photocurrent contributions of >1 mA/cm2. Further progress in red-shifting absorption, coupling to high-energy light harvesting motifs, photon management, sensitizer/annihilator design, and more are necessary for the realization of a viable TTA-UC solar cell that can pass the SQ limit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drake Beery
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Timothy W Schmidt
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kenneth Hanson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
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