Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrochemical Cells (DS-PECs) have been emerging as promising devices for efficient solar-induced water splitting. In DS-PECs, dyes and catalysts for water oxidation and/or reduction are typically two separate components, thus limiting charge transfer efficiency. A small number of organometallic dyes have been integrated with a catalyst to form an integrated dye–catalyst dyad for photoanodes, but until now no dyads based on metal-free organic dyes have been reported for photoanodes. We herein report the first example of dyad-sensitized photoanodes in DS-PEC water splitting based on metal-free organic dyes and a Ru catalyst. The di-branched donor–π–acceptor dyes carry a donor carbazole moiety which has been functionalized with two different terminal pyridyl ligands in order to coordinate a benchmark Ru complex as a water oxidation catalyst, affording water oxidation dyads. The two dyads have been fully characterized in their optical and electrochemical properties, and XPS has been used to confirm the presence of the catalyst bonded to the dye anchored to the semiconductor anode. The two dyads have been investigated in DS-PEC, showing an excellent faradaic efficiency (88% average across all cells, with a best cell efficiency of 95%), thus triggering new perspectives for the design of efficient molecular dyads based on metal-free dyes for DS-PEC water splitting.

Decavoli, C., Boldrini, C., Trifiletti, V., Luong, S., Fenwick, O., Manfredi, N., et al. (2021). Dye–catalyst dyads for photoelectrochemical water oxidation based on metal-free sensitizers. RSC ADVANCES, 11(10), 5311-5319 [10.1039/D0RA10971A].

Dye–catalyst dyads for photoelectrochemical water oxidation based on metal-free sensitizers

Decavoli, Cristina;Boldrini, Chiara L.;Trifiletti, Vanira;Manfredi, Norberto
;
Abbotto, Alessandro
2021

Abstract

Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrochemical Cells (DS-PECs) have been emerging as promising devices for efficient solar-induced water splitting. In DS-PECs, dyes and catalysts for water oxidation and/or reduction are typically two separate components, thus limiting charge transfer efficiency. A small number of organometallic dyes have been integrated with a catalyst to form an integrated dye–catalyst dyad for photoanodes, but until now no dyads based on metal-free organic dyes have been reported for photoanodes. We herein report the first example of dyad-sensitized photoanodes in DS-PEC water splitting based on metal-free organic dyes and a Ru catalyst. The di-branched donor–π–acceptor dyes carry a donor carbazole moiety which has been functionalized with two different terminal pyridyl ligands in order to coordinate a benchmark Ru complex as a water oxidation catalyst, affording water oxidation dyads. The two dyads have been fully characterized in their optical and electrochemical properties, and XPS has been used to confirm the presence of the catalyst bonded to the dye anchored to the semiconductor anode. The two dyads have been investigated in DS-PEC, showing an excellent faradaic efficiency (88% average across all cells, with a best cell efficiency of 95%), thus triggering new perspectives for the design of efficient molecular dyads based on metal-free dyes for DS-PEC water splitting.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Dye-sesitized photoelectrochemical cell; organic dye; organic dyad; water splitting; water oxidation;
English
28-gen-2021
2021
11
10
5311
5319
open
Decavoli, C., Boldrini, C., Trifiletti, V., Luong, S., Fenwick, O., Manfredi, N., et al. (2021). Dye–catalyst dyads for photoelectrochemical water oxidation based on metal-free sensitizers. RSC ADVANCES, 11(10), 5311-5319 [10.1039/D0RA10971A].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
d0ra10971a.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Articolo completo
Tipologia di allegato: Publisher’s Version (Version of Record, VoR)
Dimensione 739.24 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
739.24 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/301568
Citazioni
  • Scopus 5
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 5
Social impact