In this section
@article{Barnes:2016:10.1038/srep39253,
author = {Barnes, PRF and Vaissier, V and Garcia, Sakai V and Li, X and cabral, J and nelson, J},
doi = {10.1038/srep39253},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
title = {How mobile are dye adsorbates and acetonitrile molecules on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles? A quasi-elastic neutron scattering study},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep39253},
volume = {6},
year = {2016}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - Motions of molecules adsorbed to surfaces may control the rate of charge transport within monolayers in systems such as dye sensitized solar cells. We used quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) to evaluate the possible dynamics of two small dye moieties, isonicotinic acid (INA) and bis-isonicotinic acid (BINA), attached to TiO2 nanoparticles via carboxylate groups. The scattering data indicate that moieties are immobile and do not rotate around the anchoring groups on timescales between around 10 ps and a few ns (corresponding to the instrumental range). This gives an upper limit for the rate at which conformational fluctuations can assist charge transport between anchored molecules. Our observations suggest that if the conformation of larger dye molecules varies with time, it does so on longer timescales and/or in parts of the molecule which are not directly connected to the anchoring group. The QENS measurements also indicate that several layers of acetonitrile solvent molecules are immobilized at the interface with the TiO2 on the measurement time scale, in reasonable agreement with recent classical molecular dynamics results.
AU - Barnes,PRF
AU - Vaissier,V
AU - Garcia,Sakai V
AU - Li,X
AU - cabral,J
AU - nelson,J
DO - 10.1038/srep39253
PY - 2016///
SN - 2045-2322
TI - How mobile are dye adsorbates and acetonitrile molecules on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles? A quasi-elastic neutron scattering study
T2 - Scientific Reports
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep39253
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/42719
VL - 6
ER -
Jenny Nelson
Professor of Physics
1007, Huxley Building
South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ