Charge transfer self-quenching mechanism

A similar supramolecular approach, in which both n-n stacking stacking of pyrene on the SWNT surface and alkyl ammonium-crown ether interactions were used in the self-assembly process of a fullerene derivative with SWNTs, was recently reported (Scheme 9.22).72 The nanohybrid integrity was probed with various spectroscopic techniques, , and electrochemical measurements. Nanosecond transient absorption studies confirmed electron transfer as the quenching mechanism of the singlet excited state of C60 in the nanohybrid resulting in the formation of SWNT"1"/ Pyr-NH3 + /crown- charge-separated state. 

Polivka had investigated the co-adsorption of carotenoid and pheophytin (111) on the surface of TiC>2 electrode and the photophysical properties of pheophytin in this film. The results demonstrated that the fluorescence of 111 was efficiently reductive quenched by carotenoid in this co-assembled film, suggesting similar mechanisms to that in the natural photosynthetic systems. The radical anion of 111 formed during the electron transfer recovered to the neutral state quickly before the charge recombination between carotenoid cation and pheophytin anion took place. It is suspected that the electron injection from the pheophytin anion to the conduction band of Ti02 was responsible for this quick recovery. This result indicated that such a self-assembling strategy may be also considered for novel DSSC constructions [108]. 

In Table 5.11 are shown the quenching rate constants for a series of cyanide complexes. Up to the values found for the fastest quenchers in this table, a plot of kq against shows a good straight line correlation. " Such plots should be taken with caution since the quenchers have different charge types, and will differ in their inherent barriers to electron transfer because of their different self-exchange rates. Nevertheless, even for systems such as these, it is still possible to test whether an outer-sphere electron transfer mechanism is operable by determining whether the data fit to the Marcus theory. 

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