Charge injection into nanostructured TiO2 electrodes from the photogenerated reduced form of a new Ru(ii) polypyridine compound: the "anti-biomimetic" mechanism at work.

The charge transfer dynamics involving a new Ru(ii) polypyridine complex (1), developed to generate highly oxidizing photoholes for water oxidation, was studied by electrochemical, photoelectrochemical and spectroscopic means. Mesoporous TiO2 electrodes sensitized with complex 1, under 1 sun illumination (420 nm cut-off filter) and a moderate applied bias (0.3 V vs.

Modification of nanocrystalline WO3 with a dicationic perylene bisimide: applications to molecular level solar water splitting.

[(N,N'-Bis(2-(trimethylammonium)ethylene) perylene 3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimide)(PF6)2] (1) was observed to spontaneously adsorb on nanocrystalline WO3 surfaces via aggregation/hydrophobic forces. Under visible irradiation (λ > 435 nm), the excited state of 1 underwent oxidative quenching by electron injection (kinj > 10(8) s(-1)) to WO3, leaving a strongly positive hole (Eox ≈ 1.7 V vs SCE), which allows to drive demanding photo-oxidation reactions in photoelectrochemical cells (PECs).

Pulsed-laser deposition of nanostructured iron oxide catalysts for efficient water oxidation.

Amorphous iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) for functionalization of indium-tin oxide surfaces, resulting in electrodes capable of efficient catalysis in water oxidation. These electrodes, based on earth-abundant and nonhazardous iron metal, are able to sustain high current densities (up to 20 mA/cm2) at reasonably low applied potential (1.64 V at pH 11.