Triple-peak feature of Cu 2p x-ray-photoemission spectrum in copper acetylacetonate

Interpretation of Shakeup Mechanisms in Copper L-Shell Photoelectron Spectra

We report on an original full ab initio quantum molecular approach designed to simulate Cu 2p X-ray photoelectron spectra. The description includes electronic relaxation/correlation and spin-orbit coupling effects and is implemented within nonorthogonal sets of molecular orbitals for the initial and final states. The underlying mechanism structuring the Cu 2p photoelectron spectra is clarified thanks to a correlation diagram applied to the CuO₄C₆H₆ paradigm. This diagram illustrates how the energy drop of the Cu 3d levels following the creation of the Cu 2p core hole switches the nature of the highest singly occupied molecular orbital (H-SOMO) from dominant metal to dominant ligand character. It also reveals how the repositioning of the Cu 3d levels induces the formation of new bonding and antibonding orbitals from which shakeup mechanisms toward the relaxed H-SOMO operate. The specific nature, ligand → ligand and metal → ligand, of these excitations building the satellite lines is exposed. Our approach finally applied to the real Cu(acac)₂ system clearly demonstrates how a definite interpretation of the XPS spectra can be obtained when a correct evaluation of binding energies, intensities, and relative widths of the spectral lines is achieved.

High-performance polymer solar cells with solution-processed and environmentally friendly CuOx anode buffer layer

Highly efficient polymer solar cells (PSCs) are demonstrated by introducing environmentally friendly CuOx as hole extraction anode buffer layer. The CuOx buffer layer is prepared simply via spin-coating 1,2-dichlorobenzene solution of Copper acetylacetonate on the ITO substrate and thermal transformation (at 80 °C) in air. Remarkable improvements in the open-circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current density (Jsc) of the PSCs could be achieved upon the introduction of CuOx buffer layer. The study about the effect of CuOx interfacial layer on the device resistances demonstrates that insertion of CuOx layer can decrease the whole resistance of the PSCs. For the devices based on P3HT:PCBM, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) was increased from 2.8% (the reference device without buffer layer) to 4.1% via introduction of CuOx hole extraction layer. The PCE of the PSC was further increased to 6.72% when ICBA used as an alternative acceptor to PCBM. The much higher PCE of 7.14% can be achieved by adopting PBDTTT-C, a low band gap conjugated polymer, as donor material. The results demonstrate that CuOx has great potential as a hole extraction material for highly efficient PSCs.

Visible-light-driven copper acetylacetonate decomposition by BiVO4

Visible-light irradiation to monoclinic scheelite BiVO(4) (m-BiVO(4)) in a solution of copper acetylacetonate (Cu(acac)(2)) has led to its decomposition and Cu recovery. The photonic efficiency at λ = 440 ± 15 nm reaches 3.4%, exceeding the value for the TiO(2)-photocatalyzed reaction at λ = 355 ± 23 nm (2.0%). The adsorption isotherm and the light intensity-dependence of the decomposition rate indicate high adsorptivity of m-BiVO(4) for Cu(acac)(2) or its sufficient supply to the surface reaction sites, which mainly contributes to the high photocatalytic activity. Electrochemical measurements using cyclic voltammetry suggest that the reaction proceeds via the oxidative degradation of the ligand followed by the reduction of the resulting Cu(2+) ions. Under aerobic conditions, the Cu(2+) ions mediate the electron transfer from the conduction band of m-BiVO(4) to O(2) to complete the catalytic cycle.

Multiplet calculations of L(2,3) x-ray absorption near-edge structures for 3d transition-metal compounds

The purpose of this work is to compare the two different procedures to calculate the L(2,3) x-ray absorption spectra of transition-metal compounds: (1) the semi-empirical charge transfer multiplet (CTM) approach and (2) the ab initio configuration-interaction (CI) method based on molecular orbitals. We mainly focused on the difference in the treatment of ligand field effects and the charge transfer effects in the two methods. The reduction of multiplet interactions due to the solid state effects has been found by the ab initio CI approach. We have also found that the mixing between the original and the charge transferred configurations obtained by the ab initio CI approach is smaller than that obtained by the CTM approach, since charge transfer through the covalent bonding between metal and ligand atoms has been included by taking the molecular orbitals as the basis functions.

Interplay of intra-atomic and interatomic effects: an investigation of the 2p core level spectra of atomic Fe and molecular FeCl2

The 2p photoabsorption and photoelectron spectra of atomic Fe and molecular FeCl2 were studied by photoion and photoelectron spectroscopy using monochromatized synchrotron radiation and atomic or molecular beam technique. The atomic spectra were analyzed with configuration interaction calculations yielding excellent agreement between experiment and theory. For the analysis of the molecular photoelectron spectrum which shows pronounced interatomic effects, a charge transfer model was used, introducing an additional 3d(7) configuration. The resulting good agreement between the experimental and theoretical spectrum and the remarkable similarity of the molecular with the corresponding spectrum in the solid phase opens a way to a better understanding of the interplay of the interatomic and intra-atomic interactions in the 2p core level spectra of the 3d metal compounds.

Functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes with (R-)oxycarbonyl nitrenes

Sidewall functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) via the addition of (R-)oxycarbonyl nitrenes allows for the covalent binding of a variety of different groups such as alkyl chains, aromatic groups, dendrimers, crown ethers, and oligoethylene glycol units. Such additions lead to a considerable increase in the solubility in organic solvents such as 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TCE), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and 1,2-dichlorobenzene (ODCB). The highest solubilities of 1.2 mg/mL were found for SWCNT adducts with nitrenes containing crown ether of oligoethylene glycol moieties in DMSO and TCE, respectively. The presence of chelating donor groups within the addends allowed for the complexation of Cu(2+) and Cd(2+). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the functionalized tubes form thin bundles with typical diameters of 10 nm. The presence of thin bundles in solution is supported by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The elemental composition of the functionalized SWCNT was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The use of Raman and electron absorption spectroscopy (UV/Vis-nIR) showed that the electronic properties of the SWCNTs are mostly retained after functionalization, indicating a low degree of addition within this series of SWCNT derivatives.