Langmuir, Vol.35, No.39, 12620-12629, 2019
Unusual Photoelectrochemical Properties of Electropolymerized Films of a Triphenylamine-Containing Organic Small Molecule
The electropolymerized films of poly(L)(n) on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrode was prepared by anodic electrooxidation of a dichloromethane solution of a triphenylamine-carrying organic molecule L and were characterized/studied by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and photoelectrochemical measurements. Poly(L)(n) films were found to show surface-controlled TPA(center dot+1/0) associated quasi-reversible redox and exceptionally high photo-current generation properties. At a zero external bias potential and under 100 mW/cm(2) white light irradiation, a photoelectrochemical device composed of a poly(L)(1)-modified ITO as the working electode, a platinum disk counter electrode, and saturated calomel electrode reference electrode in a 0.1 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution exhibited a significant cathode photocurrent density of 2.2 mu A/cm(2), which could be switched to be anodic and outperform most previously reported molecule-based modified ITO electrodes under similar experimental conditions. The results indicate that poly(L)(n) films offer a number of future perspectives ranging from organic photovoltaic to photoelectrochemical catalysis and sensing.