Ru@N/S/TiO/rGO: a high performance HER electrocatalyst prepared by dye-sensitization.

Hydrogen production from water-splitting is one of the most promising hydrogen production methods, and the preparation of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst is very important. Although Pt-based materials have the best catalytic activity for HER, their high price and scarcity greatly limit their large-scale industrial application prospects. Herein, a new method to prepare HER catalyst is described, where dyes used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were used as precursors.

Self-Assembly by Coordination with Organic Antenna Chromophores for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

The development of new sensitizers and new sensitization methods is one of the important means to enhance the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); the ultimate goal is to broaden the spectral response of dyes, reduce electron recombination, and suppress dye aggregation. In this study, we have developed a series of new self-assembled dyes and applied them in DSSCs. We prepared two organic antenna chromophores S1 and S2 and coordinated them with two acceptors A1 and A2 via zinc to construct A-Zn-S series self-assembled dyes.

A supramolecular assembly of metal-free organic dye with zinc porphyrin chromophore for dye-sensitized solar cells.

Two porphyrin chromophores, P1 and P2, were prepared and used as antenna units to coordinate with a metal-free organic dye, JH1, containing pyridine groups. This supramolecular self-assembly strategy can not only effectively improve the light-harvesting ability of the devices but also effectively reduces electron recombination by preventing I of the electrolyte from penetrating into the TiO surface. The DSSC based on JH1 showed a PCE of 2.

[Chemical modification on the surface of nano-particles of ZnO and its characterization].

After nano-particles (ZnO) had been encapsulated by a kind of water-soluble cellulose Hydoxyl-Propyl-Methyl Cellulose (HPMC), then methyl methacrylate was grafted onto the surface of them. Thus the surface of nano-ZnO had been successfully modified. FTIR, DTA and TEM were utilized to confirm the results.