Transparent nanocomposite electrodes based on thin films of mesoporous oxides with anchored electroactive sites

该项目致力于基于有序介孔薄膜的新型透明纳米复合电极的开发和电化学表征，所述有序介孔薄膜由非导电二氧化硅和嵌入电活性部分的导电氧化铟(ITO)(模型氧化还原体系、酞菁和硝基螺吡喃染料)组成。我们开发的一种新的逐步接枝过程将使客体的均匀分布成为可能，在这种过程中，分子通过共价或离子键紧密锚定。介孔基质的开放结构将确保内部体积的可及性和电荷平衡离子的增强扩散，而活性中心的紧密锚定将防止它们的浸出。电化学表征的目的将是研究和模拟这些主客体体系中的电荷传播。透明薄膜的使用将允许结合电化学和光谱测量，提供关于介孔结构内的电荷传播和主客体相互作用的额外信息。因此，这种薄膜在光电化学器件中的应用潜力将被发掘出来。新的介孔ITO基质将为一类新型的不受电导率限制的纳米复合电极开辟一条新的道路。

The project is aming at the development and electrochemical characterization of new transparent nanocomposite electrodes based on ordered mesoporous thin films of nonconductive SiO2 and conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) with embedded electroactive moieties (model redox systems, phthalocyanine and nitrospiropyrane dyes). A homogenous distribution of the guests will be enabled by a new stepwise grafting procedure developed by us in which the molecules are tightly anchored by covalent or ionic bonding. The open structure of the mesopourous matrix will ensure accessibility of the inner volume and enhanced diffusion of charge-balancing ions, whereas the tight anchoring of the active sites will prevent their leaching. The aim of the electrochemical characterization will be investigation and modeling of the charge propagation in these host-guest systems. The use of transparent thin films will allow the combination of electrochemical and spectroscopic measurements, providing additional information about charge propagation within the mesoporous structure and host-guest interactions. The application potential of the films in optoelectrochemical devices will thus be explored. The new mesoporous ITO matrix will open a way to a novel class of nanocomposite electrodes free of restrictions in conductivity.