Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Electron energy transfer rates'

The present study was largely concerned with measuring accurate absolute values for the electronic state excitation cross sections in H2O, in the incident electron energy range 15eV to 50eV. It is hoped that these data will eventually help to improve the current state of electron - molecule scattering theory, as well as being useful in various fields of modelling. As an illustration of this latter point, the cross sections determined here were used to calculate quantities of importance in atmospheric modelling, namely, electron energy transfer rates and rates for the excitation of water molecules by auroral secondary electrons.

The differential physical properties found at different depths of a phospholipid membrane permit design of systems for vectorial reactions (which are not possible in isotropic solution). In the system described in Chapter IV, a hydrophobic electron donor (triphenylbenzylborate) binds to the membrane interior while a hydrophilic electron acceptor (a cyanine dye) binds to the surface. Irradiation with red light leads to vectorial electron flow via photoinduced electron transfer (PET), as monitored by fluorescence quenching and photobleaching techniques. The PET reaction efficiency is enhanced over the case where the donor and acceptor are present in water without membranes. In that case, strong dimeric complexes are formed which reduce the efficiency of PET by enhancing nonradiative decay modes for the dye (Chapter III). Addition of a porphyrin to the membrane surface extends the sensitivity of the system to blue light (Chapter V). Excitation of the porphyrin at 417 nm and subsequent energy transfer to the cyanine trigger the same PET chemistry observed with red-light irradiation. Furthermore, the electron- and energy-transfer reactions are enhanced on polymerized, phase-separated membranes (Chapter VI). In these applications, membranes are media for chemical reactions. Membranes also make interesting substrates for chemical reactions, in this case, polymerization. A system consisting of a membrane-bound, amphiphilic cyanine dye and molecular oxygen is described in Chapter VII which effectively initiates the polymerization of vesicles upon irradiation with visible light. Potential utility in drug delivery applications is discussed.

Electrochemical kinetic measurements were made on viologens in acetonitrile and ferrocene moieties bound to n-type silicon. A collection of hitherto unreported rate constants were obtained, and novel approaches to analysing electrochemical data proposed and demonstrated. Full abstract available online.

Electron transfer (EleT) and energy transfer (EngT) are common fundamental processes in life, and increasingly in materials engineering. Proteins involved in several life-critical processes including reaction centers in photosynthesis and photolyases in DNA repair have evolved protein matrixes with sophisticated temporal and spatial control of EleT and EngT. The ability to rationally design a protein matrix for EleT and/or EngT has not yet been fully realized, but would yield many benefits across bioenergetics, bioelectronics and biomedical engineering.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin has been an important model system for investigating fundamental EleT in proteins. Early pioneering studies used ruthenium photosensitizers to induce EleT in azurin and this experimental data continues to be used to develop theories for EleT mediated through a protein matrix. In this dissertation it is shown that putative EleT rates in the P. aeruginosa azurin model system, measured via photoinduced methods, can also be explained by an alternate EngT mechanism. Investigation of EngT in azurin, conducted in this study, isolates and resolves confounding phenomena—i.e., zinc contamination and excited state emission—that can lead to erroneous kinetic assignments. Extensive metal analysis, in addition to electrochemical and photochemical (photoinduced transfer) measurements suggests Zn-metallated azurin contamination can result in a biexponential reaction, which can be mistaken for EleT. Namely, upon photoinduction, the observed slow phase is exclusively the contribution from Zn-metallated azurin, not EleT; whereas, the fast phase is the result of EngT between the photosensitizer and the Cu-site, rather than simple excited state decay of the phototrigger.

In order to circumvent the previously described problems with photoinduced measurements of EleT an orthogonal glassy carbon electrode based protein film voltammetry method was developed for measuring EleT rates in azurin. Finally, Computational Protein Design was utilized to modulate intramolecular EleT and EngT rates by engineering the residue composition in the core of azurin without perturbing the donor and acceptor sites.

Steady state reflectance and emission characteristics of anthracene adsorbed on silica gel and titania-silica mixed oxides have been investigated as a function of sample loading. Titania-silica mixed oxides with 1, 3, 5 and 10 wt. % TiO2 were prepared by two different methods: a dropwise method and a sol-gel route. Ground state diffuse reflectance and fluorescence emission spectra of anthracene adsorbed on titania-silica surfaces show a dependence on titania content. The absorption peaks of anthracene are difficult to resolve at higher titania content due to the increasing red-shift of the titania absorption edge. The absorption edge of titania is shifted to longer wavelengths and the band gap energy decreases with increasing the titania loading. Diffuse reflectance laser flash photolysis at 355 nm produces both the triplet and radical cation of anthracene and gives relevant information regarding the photochemical transients and the kinetics details of the surface photochemical processes. Energy dependence studies confirm the monophotonic nature of the triplet production, whereas the anthracene radical cation is formed by monophoton or multiphoton ionisation in the mixed titania-silica systems. Energy and electron transfer reactions of anthracene co-adsorbed with azulene as electron donor on silica sol-gel and titania-silica mixed oxides prepared by the sol-gel method with different titania content have been studied using the time-resolved diffuse reflectance laser flash photolysis technique. The fluorescence of excited anthracene adsorbed on silica sol-gel is quenched by the addition of azulene, while co-adsorption of azulene on titania-silica mixed oxides resulted in a decrease in the fluorescence intensity of the adsorbed anthracene due to the formation, at the same time, of anthracene radical cation and Ti3+ species on the titania-silica surface. Triplet-triplet energy transfer from the excited anthracene to ground state azulene and electron transfer from azulene to the anthracene radical cation have been investigated using a time-resolved diffuse reflectance laser flash photolysis technique following laser excitation at 355 nm. Bimolecular rate constants for energy and electron transfer between anthracene and azulene have been obtained. Kinetic analysis of the decay of the anthracene triplet state and radical cation show that the kinetic parameters depend on the titania content of the sample and the azulene concentration. This indicates that the rate of energy and electron transfer reactions increases as a function of azulene concentration and decreases with increasing titania content in titania-silica mixed oxides, whereas the observed rate of reaction on silica sol-gel is predominantly governed by the rate of diffusion of azulene. Electron transfer reactions in a ternary system using azulene for hole transfer between 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid radical cation as electron acceptor and perylene as electron donor were also studied in order to demonstrate the mobility of radical cations on the silica sol-gel and titania-silica surfaces. The co-adsorption of azulene as a molecule shuttle with 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid and perylene on both silica sol-gel and titania-silica systems has been shown to enhance the rate of electron transfer in this ternary system. Activation energies for energy and electron transfer on photoinduced bimolecular and termolecular processes on silica sol-gel and titania-silica mixed oxides have been measured. In bimolecular anthracene / azulene systems, at higher azulene loadings, the activation energies and the pre-exponential factors on titania-silica surfaces are the same for both energy and electron transfer and are comparable with the parameters extracted for azulene diffusion on silica Davisil suggesting that azulene diffuses across the silica Davisil and titania-silica mixed oxides surfaces, while at lower azulene loadings, ion-electron recombination dominates and the activation energy extracted is for this process. In a ternary 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid / azulene / perylene system, the activation energy for perylene diffusion is higher than that observed for the anthracene / azulene system, reflecting the lower mobility of the perylene molecule. In this study, a series of titania-silica samples with different loadings of titania (1 10 wt. %) prepared by the sol-gel method and also the pure TiO2 P25 Degussa have been used to study the photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation. The absorption peak of 4-chlorophenol at 280 nm decreases with increasing titania content and finally disappeared suggesting that titania has a positive influence on the degradation of 4-chlorophenol. The investigated titania-silica mixed oxides prepared by the sol-gel method are less efficient photocatalysts for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol than TiO2 P25.

Diese Dissertation leistet einen Beitrag zum Verständnis des Energie- und Elektronentransfers innerhalb von neuartigen supramolekularen Strukturen, die aus einem zentralen Phthalocyanin und zwei axial angekoppelten Porphyrinen bestehen. Zwei solcher Trimere, welche die koordinative Ankopplung von Porphyrinen über ein Silizium-Zentralatom des Phthalocyanins nutzen, wurden im Rahmen der Arbeit zum ersten Mal quantitativ bezüglich auftretender innermolekularer Transferprozesse charakterisiert. Ziel war die Beantwortung der Frage, ob diese Substanzklasse die wunschgemässe Vereinigung von Lichtsammlung und Ladungstrennung ermöglicht. Aus der Kombination der Messdaten, aufgenommen mit einer Vielzahl von Messverfahren, konnten für die beiden untersuchten Trimere in zwei unterschiedlich polaren Lösungsmitteln die Ratenkonstanten der Energie- und Ladungstransferkanäle ermittelt werden. In allen Fällen findet ein effizienter Ladungstransfer von den Porphyrinen zum Phthalocyanin und ein Lochtransfer vom Phthalocyanin zu einem der beiden Porphyrine statt. Dieses Ergebnis bestätigt die Erwartung, dass Lichtsammlung und Ladungstrennung in diesem Molekül vereint auftreten. Zusätzlich zu den beiden oben erwähnten Prozessen findet je nach Lösungmittelpolarität und Struktur der Porphyrine ein dem Energietransfer paralleler Elektronentransfer und ein Ladungsrücktransfer statt. Allerdings zerfällt der ladungsseparierte Zustand zu schnell, was eine praktische Nutzung der untersuchten Verbindungen in Solarzellen noch verhindert und ihre Weiterentwicklung erfordert.
This thesis contributes to the comprehension of energy and electron transfer within novel supra-molecular structures, denominated triads, consisting of a central phthalocyanine axially-coupled to two porphyrins. In the course of this thesis, two of the trimers, were quantitatively characterized regarding their intramolecular transfer processes. Both feature a dative bond between the porphyrins and the phthalocyanine via the central silicium atom of the latter. These investigations aimed at answering whether this class of compounds allows the desired combination of light harvesting and charge separation. The rate constants of both investigated trimers in two solvents with different polarity were determined by the combination of data from a variety of measurement methods. An efficient charge transfer from the porphyrins to the phthalocyanine and a hole transfer from the phthalocyanine to one of the porphyrins occurs in all investigated cases. This result confirms the prospect that light harvesting and charge separation can occur combined in one molecule. Depending on solvent polarity and the structure of the porphyrines, electron transfer parallel to the energy transfer and a charge back transfer takes place in addition to both above-mentioned processes. However, the charge-separated state of the investigated substances decays to fast, still preventing a practical utilization of these compounds in solar cells and necessitating further developments.

Organic thin films (alkanethiolates chemisorbed on gold) were employed in low-energy (eV) ion-surface collisions to validate the technique as a surface analysis tool and to further investigate processes associated with ion-surface interactions. Low-energy ion surface collisions of small polyatomic and atomic ions with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) ascertain the chemical composition, structure, and quality of SAMs utilizing four processes: energy transfer (fragmentation of projectile ions: surface-induced dissociation (SID)), electron transfer (neutralization of the projectile ions), atom/group transfer (reaction between the projectile ion and atom/groups from SAMs), and chemical sputtering. Low-energy ion-surface collisions were used to investigate newly synthesized fluorinated compounds where the degree of fluorination of the thiolate tail group increases. Data indicate that substitution of CH₃ with CF₃ as the terminal group has a substantial influence on energy transfer, electron transfer, and atom/group transfer. Slight penetration into a depth of SAM films is illustrated by the formation of certain ion-surface reaction products (a result not observed for previously characterized Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) films). A novel neutralization mechanism for reaction between methyl cation and hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon SAMs was established. Ion neutralization (besides direct electron transfer) results from a hydride ion transfer, methyl anion transfer, or fluoride transfer between hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon SAMs and incoming methyl cations. Experimental ion-surface and ion-molecule data support the ion neutralization mechanism originally proposed by ab initio and thermochemical calculations. Ion-surface processes were also used to characterize three mixed SAM systems (system 1: hydroxyl/hydrocarbon mixed SAMs and systems 2 and 3: fluorocarbon/hydrocarbon mixed SAMs). The mixed SAMs were prepared from binary thiol solutions and uniform solutions of asymmetrical disulfides. These ion-surface data can be useful for qualitative (identification of the sample's chemical composition) and quantitative analysis (calculation of the surface concentration of a chemical species for a mixed SAM). An in-line Sector-Time-of-Flight (TOF) tandem mass spectrometer with low-energy ion-surface collisions was characterized. Research involved testing the versatility of the instrument in terms of effective ion activation (peptide fragmentation) and surface analysis of organic thin films. This prototype will aid further implementation of SID into commercial TOF instruments for efficient ion activation and surface analysis capabilities.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemistry, 2002.
Vita.
Includes bibliographical references.
In this thesis, several problems regarding dynamics and spectra in condensed phases are theoretically analyzed via analytical models. The thesis consists of four main topics. First, a theoretical description of single molecule spectroscopy is presented in order to study time-dependent fluctuations of single molecule spectra in a dynamic environment. In particular, the photon counting statistics is investigated for a single molecule undergoing a generic type of spectral diffusion process. An exact analytical solution is found for this case, and various physical limits are analyzed. Second, motivated by recent experimental observations of anomalous spectral fluctuations in quantum dot systems, both the lineshape phenomenon and the photon counting statistics are explored when spectral fluctuations are characterized by power-law statistics, for which there is no finite timescale. Unique features of the power-law statistics are demonstrated in spectral properties of those systems. Third, a spectral analysis method is developed for the non-adiabatic electron transfer reactions, which allows a unified treatment of diverse kinetic regimes in the electron transfer process. The method is applied to electron transfer reactions in mixed-valence systems in order to explore the possibility of electronic coherence. Finally, effects of the nonequilibrium bath relaxation on the excitation energy transfer process are investigated by generalizing the Forster-Dexter theory of excitation energy transfer to the case of the nonstationary bath relaxation.
by YounJoon Jung.
Ph.D.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemistry, 2009.
Vita.
Includes bibliographical references.
Spectroscopic investigations of systems designed to advance the mechanistic interrogation of photo-induced proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) and proton-coupled (through-bond) energy transfer (PCEnT) are presented. PCET is ubiquitous in Nature, where it is at the heart of bioenergy conversion and catalysis (Chapter I). Systems of relevance to mechanistic studies of PCET and PCEnT are the central tenet of this work. In uni-directional PCET, electron transfer (ET) occurs from an electron donor (De) to an electron acceptor (Ae) through a hydrogen bonded proton interface. The proton interface plays a vital role in mediating ET. Thus, the exact ionization configuration of the interface must be uncovered to fuIIy realize the influence of the interface. SpecificaIIy, does the interface exists in the non-ionized (i.e. amidine-carboxylic acid) or ionized (i.e. amidinium-carboxylate) form. Strategies to spectraIIy monitor the interface ionization state by extending electronic communication from a porphyrinic chromophore to its pendant amidinium functionality are pursued through examination of an alkynylamidinium Ni(II) porphyrin (Chapter II) and an amidinium appended Zn(II) purpurin (Chapter III). With the ionization state of the interface resolved, mechanistic studies of photo-induced PCET between an identical De and Ae pair juxtaposed by a non-ionized (amidine-carboxylic acid) and an ionized (amidinium-sulfonate) interface are undertaken to reveal that PCET occurring through an ionized interface is more strongly coupled to the surrounding solvent environment (Chapter IV). Work on this system is extended to a second solvent of similar dielectric constant to establish that molecular variation of the solvent environment impacts PCET, likely through its interaction with the proton interface (Chapter V). Two water-soluble amidinium-appended ferrocene moieties are presented as building blocks for aqueous bi-directional PCET in which PT occurs to the bulk and ET occurs along a covalently bound coordinate (Chapter VI). ET and through-bond EnT are described by the semiclassical nonradiative decay formalism, meaning both processes should be sensitive to an intervening proton network. For the first time, PCEnT is established using ferrocenyl-amidine moieties bound through an amidinecarboxylic acid interface to Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes (Chapter VII).
Elizabeth R. Young.
Ph.D.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, Dept. of Chemistry.
"May 2006." Title from PDF title page (viewed on September 29, 2006). Thesis adviser: Francis D'Souza. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 147-155).

Le travail de cette thèse de doctorat est axé sur le design, la synthèse et la caractérisation de systèmes moléculaires organiques et organométalliques luminescents dans le but de déclencher des processus de transfert photoinduit d’électron (PeT) ou d’énergie (EET) pour des applications dans les dispositifs optiques ou électroniques. Nous nous sommes d’abord intéressés aux molécules de type push-pull car elless’avèrent être des modèles intéressants pour l’étude du PeT. Nos systèmes sont construits autour de BτDIPY qui sert d’espaceur entre le donneur d’électron (julolidine ou triazatruxène) et l’accepteur d’électron (une unité dicyanovinyl). Les études en électrochimie et spectroscopie ont montrés un caractère à transfert de charge très prononcé. Entre autre nous avons synthétisé et étudié une série de ligands de type N^O (type base de Schiff) dérivés de la julolidine, une amine cyclique avec des propriétés électroniques très inattendues. Ces ligands, subissent des processus de transfert photoinduit de proton à l’état excité (ESIPT) et leurs spectres d’émission présentent une luminescence panchromatique. La compléxation desligands N^O au BF2 supprime l’ESIPT et augment les rendements quantiques de fluorescence. Les ligands derivés de la julolidine sont combinés avec d’autres unités chromophoriques i.e. Ir(III), Pt(II) afin de construire des systèmes multichromophoriques et stimuler des processus de EET entre les composants.Lors de ces travaux de thèse nous nous somme particulièrement intéressés aux systèmes moléculaires photocommutables dont l’unité centrale est un photochrome, le [1,3]oxazine. L’oxazine est combiné à un module moléculaire qui sert de donneur d’énergie et un module accepteur d’énergie choisie de façon optimale afin d’induire un transfert électronique d’énergie de manière contrôlé
The present doctoral thesis work deals with the design, synthesis and characterization of organic and organometallic luminescent molecular frameworks for triggering Photoinduced electron Transfer (PeT) and Electronic Energy Transfer (EET) processes for applications in optical andelectronic devices. First, we turned toward the organic push-pull chromophores because they are useful model systems for studying the mechanism of PeT process. We synthesized new push-pull systems bearing a dicyanovinyl fragment as the electron-acceptor and a strong electron-donorsuch as julolidine and triazatruxene covalently linked through a BODIPY dye bridge. Electrochemical and photophysical studies showed a pronounced charge transfer character within the new push-pull systems. Furthermore, we synthesized and studied a series of chelating N^O-type ligands (Schiff base-type), based on the strong electron-donating julolidine motif, displaying ESIPT process. Their luminescence profiles exhibited panchromatic luminescence band covering the whole visible spectrum. Complexation of N^O-site with boron difluoride fragment suppressed the ESPIT process and highly increased the fluorescence quantum yield. The N^O-chelating ligands were combined with Pt(II) chromophore, B(III) and Ir(III) such as to obtainmultichromophoric frameworks. According to the photophysical studies, EET processes were observed within the multichromophoric systems. We successfully obtained a new florescent switching triad constructed around a photochromic core, [1,3]oxazine, which bears an energy-donor and an energy-acceptor module such as to directly control the EET process

Multimodular designs of electron donor-acceptor systems are the ultimate strategy in fabricating antenna-reaction center mimics for artificial photosynthetic applications. The studied photosystems clearly demonstrated efficient energy transfer from the antenna system to the primary electron donor, and charge stabilization of the radical ion pair achieved with the utilization of secondary electron donors that permits either electron migration or hole transfer. Moreover, the molecular arrangement of the photoactive components also influences the route of energy and electron transfer as observed from the aluminum(III) porphyrin-based photosystems. Furthermore, modulation of the photophysical and electronic properties of these photoactive units were illustrated from the thio-aryl substitution of subphthalocyanines yielding red-shifted Q bands of the said chromophore; hence, regulating the rate of charge separation and recombination in the subphthalocyanine-fullerene conjugates. These multicomponent photosystems has the potential to absorb the entire UV-visible-NIR spectrum of the light energy allowing maximum light-harvesting capability. Furthermore, it permits charge stabilization of the radical ion pair enabling the utilization of the transferred electron/s to be used by water oxidizing and proton reducing catalysts in full-scale artificial photosynthetic apparatuses.

The research presented in this dissertation deals with the syntheses, characterization, electrochemical, computational and photophysical studies of carbon nanostructures such fullerenes, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and highly colored pigment containing donor-acceptor supramolecular assembles. Using these fascinating chromophores, we have designed and synthesized donor-acceptor systems to mimic natural photosynthesis. Photosynthesis involves two major steps, absorption and transportation of light energy to the reaction center, and photoinduced electron transfer (PET) to generate charge separated entities by using the electronic excitation energy. We have designed elegant photosynthetic architectures using fullerene as carbon nanostructure based material for mimicry of antenna, mimicry of reaction center and mimicry of 'combined antenna-reaction center' functionalities in the natural photosynthetic system. Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT)-based supramolecular nanoarchitectures are constructed using photosensitizing donor and acceptor molecules which reveal efficient photoinduced charge separation. The kinetic and thermodynamic data suggests feasibility of these nanohybrids for the construction of photovoltaic cell and other devices. Interestingly, the photoelectrochemical behavior of the nanohybrids indicates that by choosing nanotubes of appropriate diameter, it is possible to improve the light-harvesting conversion efficiency.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Chemistry

学位授与大学：京都大学 ; 取得学位: 博士(工学) ; 学位授与年月日: 2007-09-25 ; 学位の種類: 新制・課程博士 ; 学位記番号: 工博第2867号 ; 請求記号: 新制/工/1421 ; 整理番号: 25552
Kyoto University (京都大学)
0048
新制・課程博士
博士(工学)
甲第13396号
工博第2867号
新制||工||1421(附属図書館)
25552
UT51-2007-Q797
京都大学大学院工学研究科分子工学専攻
(主査)教授 今堀 博, 教授 川﨑 昌博, 教授 榊 茂好
学位規則第4条第1項該当

Photoinduced electron transfer is involved in a number of photochemical and photobiological processes. One example of this is photosynthesis, where the absorption of sunlight leads to the formation of charge-separated states by electron transfer. The redox equivalents built up by successive photoabsorption and electron transfer is further used for the oxidation of water and reduction of carbon dioxide to sugars. The work presented in this thesis is part of an interdisciplinary effort aiming at a functional mimic of photosynthesis. The goal of this project is to utilize sunlight to produce renewable fuels from sun and water. Specifically, this thesis concerns photoinduced electron transfer in donor(D)-photosensitizer(P)-acceptor(A) systems, in mimic of the primary events of photosynthesis. The absorption of a photon typically leads to transfer of a single electron, i.e., charge separation to produce a single electron-hole pair. This fundamental process was studied in several molecular systems. The purpose of these studies was optimization of single electron transfer as to obtain charge separation in high yields, with minimum losses to competing photoreactions such as energy transfer.Also, the lifetime of the charge separated state and the confinement of the electron and hole in three-dimensional space are important in practical applications. This led us to explore molecular motifs for linear arrays based on Ru(II)bis-tridentate and Ru(II)tris-bidentate complexes. The target multi-electron catalytic reactions of water-splitting and fuel production require a build-up of redox equivalents upon successive photoexcitation and electron transfer events. The possibilities and challenges associated with such processes in molecular systems were investigated. One of the studied systems was shown to accumulate two electrons and two holes upon two successive excitations, without sacrificial redox agents and with minimum yield losses. From these studies, we have gained better understanding of the obstacles associated with step-wise photoaccumulation of charge and how to overcome them.

Electron Transfer (ET) plays essential roles in crucial biological processes such as cell respiration and photosynthesis. It takes place between redox proteins and in protein complexes that display an outstanding efficiency and environmental adaptability. Although the fundamental aspects of ET processes are well understood, more experimental methods are needed to determine electronic pathways. Understanding how ET works is important not only for fundamental reasons, but also for the potential technological applications of these redox‐active nanoscale systems. The general objective of this thesis is to investigate electron transfer in redox proteins at the single molecule level. To that end, we use Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (ECSTM) and conductive Atomic Force Microscopy (cAFM), excellent tools to study electronic materials and redox molecules including proteins. In this thesis, we focused on two redox protein systems: azurin, a small electron carrier protein and photosystem I, a light‐sensitive oxidoreductase protein complex. In azurin, we studied the protein conductance as a function of its redox state and location on the protein surface, and the effect of technical parameters such as the contact properties between azurin and the metal electrodes, and the mechanical force applied in such contact. For that we adapted our ECSTM setup for an alternating current method often used in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) STMs. We also worked in the development of a methodology that combines AFM‐based single‐molecule force measurements with single‐molecule electrical measurements, while working in an electrochemically controlled environment. These techniques can lead to a more detailed description of the ET pathways, and to a deeper understanding of the complex relation between the structure of redox proteins and their electronic properties. In photosystem I, developed a method to immobilize complexes on a substrate suitable for ECSTM imaging and spectroscopy, atomically flat gold. In these conditions, we characterized photosystem I by imaging and spectroscopy, and evaluated its conductance and distance‐decay properties in a wide range of biologically relevant electrochemical potentials. The characterization of conduction pathways in redox proteins at the nanoscale would enable important advances in biochemistry and would cause a high impact in the field of nanotechnology.
La transferencia de electrones (ET) desempeña papeles esenciales en procesos biológicos cruciales como la respiración celular y la fotosíntesis. Tiene lugar inter‐ e intra‐ proteínas redox y en complejos de proteínas que muestran una eficiencia excepcional y gran capacidad de adaptación ambiental. Aunque los aspectos fundamentales de los procesos de ET se han estudiado en profundidad, se necesitan más métodos experimentales para determinar las vías electrónicas de ET. La comprensión de cómo funciona la ET es importante no sólo por razones fundamentales, sino también por las potenciales aplicaciones tecnológicas de estos sistemas redox nanoscópicos. El objetivo general de esta tesis es investigar la transferencia de electrones en las proteínas redox a nivel de molécula individual. Para ello utilizamos la Microscopía de Túnel Electroquímico (ECSTM) y la Microscopía de Fuerza Atómica Conductor (cAFM), que son excelentes herramientas para estudiar materiales electrónicos y moléculas redox, incluyendo proteínas. En esta tesis, nos centramos en dos sistemas de proteínas redox: azurina, una pequeña proteína portadora de electrones y el fotosistema I, un complejo de proteína oxidorreductasa sensible a la luz. En el estudio de la azurina, estudiamos la conductancia de las proteínas en función de su estado redox y el efecto de parámetros técnicos como las propiedades de contacto entre la azurina y los electrodos metálicos, y la fuerza mecánica aplicada en dicho contacto. Para ello hemos adaptado nuestra configuración de ECSTM para un método de corriente alterna a menudo utilizado en Microscopía de Túnel de ultra alto vacío (UHV‐STM). También trabajamos en el desarrollo de una metodología que combina medidas de fuerza de una sola molécula basadas en AFM con medidas eléctricas, mientras trabajamos en un ambiente controlado electroquímicamente. Estas técnicas pueden conducir a una comprensión más profunda de las vías de ET y de la compleja relación entre la estructura de las proteínas redox y sus propiedades electrónicas. En el estudio del fotosistema I, desarrollamos un método para inmovilizar complejos sobre un sustrato adecuado para la obtención de imágenes y espectroscopía con ECSTM, oro atómicamente plano. En estas condiciones, caracterizamos el fotosistema I mediante imágenes y espectroscopia, y evaluamos sus propiedades de conductancia y sus parámetros de decaimiento de la corriente con la distancia, en una amplia gama de potenciales electroquímicos biológicamente relevantes. La caracterización de las vías de conducción en las proteínas redox a escala nanométrica puede permitir importantes avances en bioquímica y causar un alto impacto en el campo de la nanotecnología.

To explore the feasibility of processing Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) analysis jobs across the wide area network, the FIU CMS Tier-3 center and the Florida CMS Tier-2 center designed a remote data access strategy. A Kerberized Lustre test bed was installed at the Tier-2 with the design to provide storage resources to private-facing worker nodes at the Tier-3. However, the Kerberos security layer is not capable of authenticating resources behind a private network. As a remedy, an xrootd server on a public-facing node at the Tier-3 was installed to export the file system to the private-facing worker nodes. We report the performance of CMS analysis jobs processed by the Tier-3 worker nodes accessing data from a Kerberized Lustre file. The processing performance of this configuration is benchmarked against a direct connection to the Lustre file system, and separately, where the xrootd server is near the Lustre file system.

Artificial photosynthesis is the process, which mimics the natural photosynthesis process in order to convert solar energy to chemical energy. This process can be separated into four parts, which are antenna system, reaction center, water oxidation center, and proton reduction center. If we only focus on the ‘antenna system and reaction center' modules, expanding the absorption band in antenna system and generating long-lived charge separated state in reaction center are two fantastic strategies to design the molecules in order to improve the efficiency of the artificial photosynthesis process. In the first work of this dissertation, mono-18-crown-6 and mono-ammonium binding strategy was used to connect BODIPY- C60 supramolecular based donor–acceptor conjugates. The meso- position of BODIPY was modified by benzo-18-crown-6, and the 3, 5 methyl positions were replaced by two styryl groups, which covered additional donor (triphenylamine or 10-methylphenothiazine). The acceptor is a fulleropyrrolidine derivative, which included an ethyl ammonium cation. The absorbance wavelengths of the donor covered 300-850 nm, which is the visible/near IR region (wide band capturing). The ultrafast charge separation and relatively slow charge recombination was found from femtosecond transient absorption study. Next, a ‘two point' bis-18-crown-6 and bis-ammonium binding strategy was utilized to link BODIPY- C60 supramolecular based donor–acceptor conjugates. In this case, the meso- position of the BODIPY was modified by a secondary donor (triphenylamine, phenothiazine, or ferrocene). And the 3, 5 methyl positions were replaced by two styryl groups, which included benzo-18-crown-6. The acceptor (fulleropyrrolidine) was functionalized by bis-alky ammonium cations. The absorbance/ fluorescence emission titration and computational studies supported that the ‘two-point' strategy has stronger binding than ‘one-point' strategy. The relatively slow charge separation was found in these donor-acceptor conjugates. To extend the second work, a pristine BODIPY was linked to the meso- position of the BODIPY-bis-benzo-18-crown-6. When the acceptor (C60-bis- ammonium) was added to the system, a sequential energy transfer (EnT) followed by electron transfer (ET) process was performed. The energy transfer was found from absorbance/ fluorescence emission studies, and the photoinduced electron transfer was observed from femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption study. This is a great mode to mimic the ‘antenna-reaction center' events of natural photosynthesis. In the last work of this dissertation, triplet sensitizers (I2BODIPY and I2azaBODIPY) covalently linked with a C60 to form the donor-acceptor system. In this work, triplet charge separated state (long-lived charge separated state) was expected. According to the femtosecond transient absorption studies, we observed the singlet charge separation was faster than the intersystem crossing process, that was the reason that only singlet charge separated state was found for I2BODIPY-C60, and no electron transfer was found for I2 azaBODIPY-C60.

The aim of this thesis is to enhance the extracellular electron transfer rates (exoelectrogenesis) in cyanobacteria, to be utilised for photo-bioelectricity generation in biophotovoltaics (electrochemical cell). An initial cross comparison of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 against other exoelectrogenic cultures showed a hindered exoelectrogenic capacity. Nonetheless, in mediatorless biophotovoltaics, it outperformed the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. Furthermore, the performance of S. elongatus PCC7942 was improved by constructing a more efficient design (lower internal resistance), which was fabricated with carbon fibres and nitrocellulose membrane, both inexpensive materials. To strategically obtain higher exoelectrogenic rates, S. elongatus PCC7942 was conditioned by iron limitation and CO2 enrichment. Both strategies are novel in improving cyanobacteria exoelectrogenesis. Iron limitation induced unprecedented rates of extracellular ferricyanide reduction (24-fold), with the reaction occurring favourably around neutral pH, different to the cultural alkaline pH. Iron limited cultures grown in 5% and 20% CO2 showed increased exoelectrogenic rates in an earlier stage of growth in comparison to air grown cultures. Conveniently, the cultural pH under enriched CO2 was around neutral pH. Enhanced photo-bioelectricity generation in ferricyanide mediated biophotovoltaics was demonstrated. Power generation was six times higher with iron limited cultures at neutral pH than with iron sufficient cultures at alkaline pH. The enhanced performance was also observed in mediatorless biophotovoltaics, especially in the dark phase. Exoelectrogenesis was mainly driven by photosynthetic activity. However, rates in the dark were also improved and in the long term it appeared that the exoelectrogenic activity under illumination tended to that seen in the dark. Proteins participating in iron uptake by an alleged reductive mechanism were overexpressed (2-fold). However, oxidoreductases in the outer membrane remain to be identified. Furthermore, electroactive regions in biofilms of S. elongatus PCC7942 were established using cyclic voltammetry. Double step potential chronoamperometry was also successfully tested in the biofilms. Thus, the electrochemical characterisation of S. elongatus PCC7942 was demonstrated, implying that the strategies presented in this thesis could be used to screen for cyanobacteria and/or electrode materials to further develop systems for photo-bioelectricity generation.

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies are a promising approach to achieve clean, renewable energy production on a global scale. However, the widespread implementation of this technology is limited due to the intricate challenges associated with its complex electrochemical processes. One such challenge is the formation of long-lived charge-separated states (CSSs), a process that directly influences device efficiencies. Viable strategies for increasing CSS lifetimes involve the inhibition of parasitic back-electron transfer pathways. In liquid-junction PVs, electronic recombination is prevented by utilizing redox electrolytes that promote directional electron transfer at the electrode/electrolyte interface, where forward electron transfer (i.e. to the electrode) is favored and the corresponding electronic recombination reaction is impeded. To meet this criterion, researchers seek to employ redox electrolytes that undergo a spin-exchange reaction induced by electron transfer. This event, known as charge transfer-induced spin crossover (CTISC), significantly increases the reorganization energy associated with electronic recombination, producing long-lived CSSs and elevated device efficiency. This dissertation describes a suite of manganese-based redox mediators that exhibit CTISC across a tunable range (1.5 V) of formal potentials (E1/2). These complexes are utilized as redox electrolytes in liquid-junction PVs and result in a two-fold enhancement in the device efficiency relative to other CTISC redox species. Photosensitizer regeneration rates are monitored using transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) to discern the optimal E1/2 values in this class of complexes while density functional theory is employed to calculate the reorganization energy of each species. By implementing these promising electrolytes into PV devices, scientists and engineers are armed with new tools to increase the accessibility and efficiency of next-generation PVs, thereby transforming past promises into progress.
Doctor of Philosophy
To realize next-generation renewable fuels, scientists must understand how electron transfer at an interface is controlled. This dissertation highlights one method of forming a chemically useful and long-lived charge separated state. The formation of this charge separated state is achieved through an electronic reorganization that occurs at a metal center after electron transfer. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 investigate the synthesis and characterization of new metal species that possess this electronic reorganization process and provide an advanced understanding of how this process facilitates the formation of long-lived charge separated states. This work is intended to motivate new schools of thought that aid the design of next-generation catalytic materials for light-driven chemical reactions.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, 1989.
Typescript (Processed). Errata slip inserted. Spine title: Studies in collisional energy transfer of highly excited molecules. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-167).

C'est la surface, et non le matériau qui interagit avec l'environnement. Par conséquent, en modifiant la surface d'un matériau de manière contrôlée, nous pouvons moduler ces interactions avec son environnement. Les sels d'aryles diazonium semblent très adaptés pour modifier les propriétés de surface de matériaux de par leurs diversités structurelles et leur capacité à modifier des surfaces conductrices par électrochimie. Ce travail de thèse se concentre sur l'étude du transfert électronique au travers de couches organiques de différentes épaisseurs (monocouches, couches ultraminces et multicouches), générées par électro-réduction de sels d'aryles diazonium. La molécule électroactive étudiée peut être alors soit fixée à la surface du matériau ou en solution. Différentes méthodes électrochimiques ont été utilisées au cours de cette thèse : CV, EIS et SECM. Dans un premier temps, l'étude des propriétés électrochimiques de surfaces carbonées modifiées par des monocouches d'alkyle-ferrocène a été entreprise dans différents solvants ; ainsi que leur évaluation pour des applications en stockage d'énergie. La deuxième étude s'intéresse à l'utilisation d'une approche « bottom-up » pour la fabrication de surfaces organisées. Des substrats de carbone et d'or ont été modifiés par électro-réduction d'un sel d'aryle diazonium pré-organisé en forme de tétraèdre. Ceci aboutit à l'obtention d'un film organique ultra-mince possédant des propriétés de tamisage moléculaire et de rectification de courant électrochimique vis-à-vis de sondes redox en solution. La troisième étude s'est ensuite focalisée sur la réaction de réduction du dioxygène et de ses intermédiaires, qui présentent un intérêt général aussi bien dans des processus naturels qu'en industrie. La détection de ces intermédiaires a été entreprise par SECM, utilisant une stratégie « d'empreinte » utilisant différentes couches organiques sensibles. L'influence du potentiel appliqué et de l'électrolyte a été étudiée. Dans ce travail, nous avons démontré que les propriétés électrochimiques de sondes redox en solution ou greffées à la surface d'un matériau peuvent être modulées par l'utilisation de couches organiques. Ces recherches fondamentales présentent un intérêt dans des domaines tels que le stockage d'énergie et la catalyse
It is the surface, not the bulk material that interacts with the surrounding environment; hence by altering the surface in a controlled manner we can modulate the properties of the material towards its environment. Aryldiazonium salts are suitable to tailor the surface properties since their structural diversity and their electrochemically-assisted bonding ability to modified conducting surfaces. This thesis focuses on the study of the electron transfer through different aryl layers by aryldiazonium electro-reduction at three different thickness levels, monolayer, near-monolayer, and multilayer, when the electroactive molecule is attached to the surface or in solution. Three different electrochemical methods have been used throughout this thesis, CV, EIS and SECM. The first study of this thesis focused on the investigation of the electrochemical properties of alkyl-ferrocene on-carbon monolayers in different solvents and its evaluation for improving the global charge density of carbon materials for energy storage applications. The second study used a bottom-up approach for the fabrication of well-organized surfaces. Carbon and gold substrates were modified by electro-reduction of a tetrahedral-shape preorganized aryldiazonium salt resulting in an ultrathin organic film that showed molecular sieving and current rectification properties towards redox probes in solution. The third study then focused on the oxygen reduction reaction and its intermediates, which are of general importance in natural and industrial processes. Detection of intermediates was achieved by SECM in a foot-printing strategy based on the use of different sensitive aryl multilayers. The role of the applied potential and electrolytes was investigated. Here we have demonstrated that the electrochemical properties of redox probes attached to a surface or in solution can be modulated by introducing aryl layers allowing fundamental research investigations of interest in fields such as energy storage and catalysis

This dissertation has focused on the study of the ITO/organic heterojunction and the chemistries therein, it proposes appropriate strategies that enhance the interfacial physical and electronic properties for charge injection with application to organic thin-layer devices. We focused on four major aspects of this work: i) To characterize the ITO surface and chemistries that may be pertinent to interaction with adjacent organic layers in a device configuration. This developed a working model of surface and provided a foundation for modification strategies. Characterization of the electronic properties of the surface indicate less than 5% of the geometrical surface is responsible for the bulk of current flow while the rest is electrically inactive. ii) To determine the extent to which these chemistries are variable and propose circumstances where compositional changes can occur. It is shown that the surface chemistry of ITO is heterogeneous and possible very dynamic with respect to the surrounding environment. iii) To propose a strategy for modification of the interface. Modification of ITO surfaces by small molecules containing carboxylic acid functionalities is investigated. Enhancements in the electron transfer rate coefficient were realized after modification of the ITO electrode. The enhancements are found to stem from a light etching mechanism. Additionally, an elecro-catalytic effect was observed with some of the modifiers. iv) Apply these modifications to organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs). Enhancements seen in solution electrochemical experiments are indicative of the enhancements seen for solid state devices. Modifications resulted in substantially lower leakage currents (3 orders of magnitude in some cases) as well as nearly doubling the efficiency.An additional chapter describes the creation and characterization of electrochemically grown polymer nano-structures based on blazed angle diffraction gratings. The discussion details the micro-contact printing process and the electro-catalytic growth of the conductive polymers PANI and PEDOT to form diffraction grating structures in their own right. The resulting diffraction efficiency of these structures is shown to be sensitive to environmental conditions outlining possible uses as chemical sensors. This is demonstrated by utilizing these structures as working pH and potentiometric sensors based on the changing diffraction efficiency.

Résumé : Les transferts d’électrons photo-induits et d’énergie jouent un rôle primordial dans un grand nombre de processus photochimiques et photobiologiques, comme la respiration ou la photosynthèse. Une très grande quantité de systèmes à liaisons covalentes ont été conçus pour copier ces processus de transferts. Cependant, les progrès sont, en grande partie, limités par les difficultés rencontrées dans la synthèse de nouveaux couples de types donneurs-accepteurs. Récemment, des espèces utilisant des liaisons non-covalentes, comme les liaisons hydrogènes, les interactions [pi]-[pi], les liaisons de coordination métal-ligands ou encore les interactions électrostatiques sont le centre d’un nouvel intérêt du fait qu’ils soient plus faciles à synthétiser et à gérer pour obtenir des comportements de transferts d’électrons ou d’énergie plus flexibles et sélectifs. C’est dans cette optique que le travail de cette thèse a été mené, i.e. de concevoir des composés auto-assemblés avec des porphyrines et un cluster de palladium pour l’étude des transferts d’électrons photo-induits et d’énergie. Cette thèse se divise en quatre parties principales. Dans la première section, le chapitre 3, deux colorants porphyriniques, soit le 5-(4-carboxylphényl)-10, 15, 20-tristolyl(porphyrinato)zinc(II) (MCP, avec Na+ comme contre-ion) et 5, 15-bis(4-carboxylphényl)-15, 20-bistolyl(porphyrinato)zinc(II) (DCP, avec Na+ comme contre-ion) ont été utilisés comme donneurs d’électrons, et le [Pd3(dppm)3(CO)]2+ ([Pd32+], dppm = (Ph2P)2CH2, PF6‾ est le contre-ion) a été choisi comme accepteur d’électrons. La structure de l’assemblage [Pd32+]•••porphyrine a été élucidée par l’optimisation des géométries à l’aide de calculs DFT. La spectroscopie d’absorption transitoire (TAS) montre la vitesse de transferts d’électrons la plus rapide (< 85 fs, temps inférieurs à la limite de détection) jamais enregistrée pour ce type de système (porphyrine-accepteur auto-assemblés). Généralement, ces processus sont de l’ordre de l’échelle de la ps-ns. Cette vitesse est comparable aux plus rapides transferts d’électrons rapportés dans le cas de systèmes covalents de type porphyrine-accepteur rapide (< 85 fs, temps inférieurs à la limite de détection). Ce transfert d’électrons ultra-rapide (ket > 1.2 × 1013 s-1) se produit à l’état énergétique S1 des colorants dans une structure liée directement par des interactions ioniques, ce qui indique qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir de forts liens ou une géométrie courbée entre le donneur et l’accepteur. Dans une deuxième section, au chapitre 4, nous avons étudié en profondeur l’effet de l’utilisation de porphyrines à systèmes π-étendus sur le comportement des transferts d’électrons. Le colorant 9, 18, 27, 36-tétrakis-meso-(4-carboxyphényl)tétrabenzoporphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPBP, avec Na+ comme contre-ion) a été sélectionné comme candidat, et le 5, 10, 15, 20-tétrakis-meso-(4-carboxyphényl)porphyrineatozinc(II) (TCPP, avec Na+ comme contre-ion) a aussi été utilisé à des fins de comparaisons. TCPBP et TCPP ont, tous deux, été utilisés comme donneurs d’électrons pour fabriquer des assemblages supramoléculaires avec le cluster [Pd32+] comme accepteur d’électrons. Les calculs DFT ont été réalisés pour expliquer les structures de ces assemblages. Dans les conditions expérimentales, ces assemblages sont composés principalement d’une porphyrine avec 4 équivalents de clusters. Ces systèmes ont aussi été investigués par des mesures de quenching (perte de luminescence), par électrochimie et par d’autres techniques. Les transferts d’électrons (< 85 fs; temps inférieurs à la limite de détection) étaient aussi observés, de façon similaire aux assemblages MCP•••[Pd32+] et [Pd32+]•••DCP•••[Pd32+]. Les résultats nous indiquent que la modification de la structure de la porphyrine vers la tétrabenzoporphyrine ne semble pas influencer le comportement des cinétiques de transferts d’électrons (aller ou retour). Dans la troisième section, le chapitre 5, nous avons synthétisé la porphyrine hautement [pi]-conjuguée: 9, 18, 27, 36-tétra-(4-carboxyphényléthynyl)tétrabenzoporphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPEBP, avec Na+ comme contre-ion) par des fonctionnalisations en positions meso- et β, β-, qui présente un déplacement vers le rouge de la bande de Soret et des bandes Q. TCPEBP était utilisé comme donneur d’électrons pour fabriquer des motifs supramoléculaires avec le [Pd32+] comme accepteur d’électrons. Des expériences en parallèle ont été menées en utilisant la 5, 10, 15, 20-tétra-(4-carboxyphényl)éthynylporphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPEP, avec Na+ comme contre-ion). Des calculs DFT et TDDFT ont été réalisés pour de nouveau déterminer de façon théorique les structures de ces systèmes. Les constantes d’association pour les assemblages TCPEBP•••[Pd32+]x sont les plus élevées parmi tous les assemblages entre des porphyrines et le cluster de palladium rencontrés dans la littérature. La TAS a montré, encore une fois, des processus de transferts d’électrons dans des échelles de l’ordre de 75-110 fs. Cependant, les transferts de retour d’électrons sont aussi très rapides (< 1 ps), ce qui est un obstacle potentiel pour des applications en cellules solaires à pigment photosensible (DSSCs). Dans la quatrième section, le chapitre 6, les transferts d’énergie triplets (TET) ont été étudiés pour les assemblages MCP•••[Pd32+] et [Pd32+]•••DCP•••[Pd32+]. Les analyses spectrales des états transitoires dans l’échelle de temps de la ns-[mu]s démontrent de façon évidente les TETs; ceux-ci présentent des transferts d’énergie lents et/ou des vitesses moyennes pour des transferts d’énergie T1-T1 (3dye*•••[Pd32+] → dye•••3[Pd32+]*) opérant à travers exclusivement le mécanisme de Förster avec des valeurs de kET autour de ~ 1 × 105 s-1 selon les mesures d’absorption transitoires à 298 K. Des forces motrices non-favorables rendent ces types de processus non-opérants ou très lents dans les états T1. L’état T1 de [Pd32+] (~8190 cm-1) a été qualitativement déterminé par DFT et par la mise en évidence de l’émission S0 ← Tn retardée à 680-700 nm provenant de l’annihilation T1-T1, ce qui fait que ce cluster peut potentiellement agir comme un donneur à partir de ses états Tn, et accepteur à partir de T1 à l’intérieur de ces assemblages. Des pertes d’intensités de types statiques pour la phosphorescence dans le proche-IR sont observées à 785 nm. Ce travail démontre une efficacité modérée des colorants à base de porphyrines pour être impliquée dans des TETs avec des fragments organométalliques, et ce, même attachées grâce à des interactions ioniques. En conclusion, les assemblages ioniques à base de porphyrines et de clusters de palladium présentent des propriétés de transferts d’électrons S1 ultra-rapides, et des transferts d’énergie T1 de vitesses modérées, ce qui est utile pour de possibles applications comme outils optoélectroniques. D’autres études, plus en profondeur, sont présentement en progrès.
Abstract : Photoinduced electron and energy transfers play the pivotal role in various photochemical and photobiological redox processes including photosynthesis and respiration. Abundant covalently bonded systems have been designed to mimic the natural electron and energy transfer processes. However, the progress is often interfered by the difficulties to synthesize novel and versatile covalent donor-acceptor pairs. Recently, entities utilizing non-covalent interactions including hydrogen-bonding, [pi]-[pi] stacking, metal-ligand coordination and electrostatic interactions are becoming a hot topic since they are easy to be fabricated and tuned for selective and flexible electron and energy transfer behaviors. In this respect, the work presented in this thesis designed self-assemblies with porphyrins and a palladium cluster for photoinduced electron and energy transfers. It includes four main sections. In the first section, Chapter 3, two porphyrinic dyes, 5-(4-carboxylphenyl)-10, 15, 20-tristolyl(porphyrinato)zinc(II) (MCP, as sodium salt) and 5, 15-bis(4-carboxylphenyl)-15, 20-bistolyl(porphyrinato)zinc(II) (DCP, as sodium salt), were used as electron donors, and [Pd3(dppm)3(CO)]2+ ([Pd32+], dppm = (Ph2P)2CH2, as PF6‾ salt) cluster was adopted as the electron acceptor. The structure of [Pd32+]•••porphyrin assemblies was elucidated by geometry optimization using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) indicated a record fast electron transfer rate (< 85 fs, the time resolution limit) among the porphyrin-acceptor self-assemblies. Typically, these occur in ps-ns time scale. This rate is also comparable to the fastest electron transfer rate reported for the covalently linked porphyrin-acceptor systems (~ 50 fs, the time resolution limit). The ultrafast photo-induced electron transfers (ket > 1.2 × 1013 s-1) occurring at the S1 levels of the dyes in the structurally well-defined “straight up” ionic assemblies indicate that it is not necessary to have a strong bond and bent geometry between the donor and acceptor. In the second section, Chapter 4, we further studied the effect of using π-extended porphyrins on the electron transfer behavior of these assemblies. 9, 18, 27, 36-Tetrakis-meso-(4-carboxyphenyl)tetrabenzoporphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPBP, as a sodium salt) was selected as the candidate, and the 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis-meso-(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPP, as a sodium salt) dye was also studied for comparison purposes. TCPBP and TCPP were both utilized as electron donors to fabricate supramolecular assemblies with the [Pd32+] cluster as the electron acceptor. DFT calculations were used to explain the structure of these assemblies. Under the experimental conditions used, these assemblies mainly exist in the form of one porphyrin with four equivalent clusters. These systems were also investigated by quenching measurements, electrochemistry, and other techniques. Ultrafast electron transfers (< 85 fs; time resolution limit) were also observed, which is similar as those for MCP•••[Pd32+] and [Pd32+]•••DCP•••[Pd32+] assemblies. The results indicate the structural modification from porphyrin to tetrabenzoporphyrin does not seemingly influence the kinetic behavior of the forward and back electron transfers. In the third section, Chapter 5, we synthesized a highly [pi]-conjugated porphyrin, 9, 18, 27, 36-tetra-(4-carboxyphenylethynyl)tetrabenzoporphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPEBP, as a sodium salt) by meso- and β, β-bifunctionalization, which exhibits large red shift of the Soret and Q-bands. TCPEBP was utilized as electron donors to fabricate supramolecular motifs with [Pd32+] cluster as the electron acceptor. Parallel experiments were conducted using 5, 10, 15, 20-tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl)ethynylporphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPEP, as a sodium salt). DFT and TDDFT calculations were applied to elucidate the structure of these assemblies. Binding constants for TCPEBP•••[Pd32+]x is the largest one among all the assemblies with porphyrin and palladium cluster. TAS showed again the ultrafast electron transfer process within the 75-110 fs time frame. However, the back electron transfers are also very fast (< 1 ps), which may be a potential obstacle for future applications in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In the fourth section, Chapter 6, triplet energy transfers (TET) of the assemblies MCP•••[Pd32+] and [Pd32+]•••DCP•••[Pd32+] were studied. The transient spectral analysis in the ns-[mu]s time scale clearly demonstrates evidence for TET, which shows a slow to medium T1-T1 energy transfer (3dye*•••[Pd32+] → dye•••3[Pd32+]*) operating through a Förster mechanism exclusively with kET values of ~ 1 × 105 s-1 based on transient absorption measurements at 298 K. Unfavourable reductive and oxidative driving forces make this type of process inoperative or very slow in the T1 states. The T1 state of [Pd32+] (~8190 cm-1) has been quantitatively determined by DFT computations and by evidence for a delayed S0 ← Tn emission at 680-700 nm arising from T1-T1 annihilation, which makes this cluster potentially acting as the energy donor from its Tn state, and T1 acceptor within the assemblies. The static quenching of their near-IR phosphorescence at 785 nm was observed. This work demonstrated a moderate efficiency of the porphyrin dye to be involved in TET with an organometallic fragment, even when attached through ionic interactions. Conclusively, ionic assemblies with porphyrins and palladium clusters exhibit ultrafast S1 electron transfer and moderate T1 energy transfer properties, which is useful for possible application as optoelectronic devices. Further research in more depth is in progress.

As part of the study, photosynthetic system constructs based on BF2-chelated dipyrromethene (BODIPY), BF2-chelated azadipyrromethene (AzaBODIPY), porphyrin, phthalocyanine, oxasmaragdyrin, polythiophene, fullerene (C60), single-walled carbon nanotube and graphene are investigated. Antenna systems of BODIPY dyads and oligomers having BODIPY as an excitation energy donor connected to different acceptors including BODIPY, azaBODIPY, oxasmaragdyrin and aluminum porphyrin are studied. Different synthetic methodologies are used to afford donor-acceptor systems either directly linked with no spacer or with short spacers of varying length and orientation. The effect of donor orientation, donor optical gap as well as nature of donor-acceptor coupling on the donor-acceptor spectral overlap and hence the rate of excitation energy transfer is investigated. In all these systems, an ultrafast energy transfer followed by electron transfer is observed. In particular, in a directly connected BODIPY-azaBODIPY dyad an unusually ultrafast energy transfer (~ 150−200 f) via Förster mechanism is observed. The observation of energy transfer via Förster instead of Dexter mechanism in such closely coupled donor-acceptor systems shows the balance between spatial and electronic coupling achieved in the donor-acceptor system. Moreover, in donor-acceptor systems involving semiconducting 1D and 2D materials, covalently functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes via charge stabilizing (TPA)3ZnP and noncovalently hybridized exfoliated graphene via polythiophene chromophores are studied for their charge transportation functions. In both cases, not only an ultrafast charge transfer in the range of (~ 2−5 p) is observed but also the charge-separated states were long lived implying the potential of these functionalized materials as efficient charge transporting substrates with organic chromophores for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications where ultrafast intercomponent charge transfer is vital. In addition, as a final part of this dissertation, the mechanisms of electron injection and back electron transfer in heterogeneous systems involving supramolecularly anchored high potential chromophores on TiO2 film are studied by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. In this study, not only are important insights gained on the utilization of supramolecular anchoring of chromophores such as porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and their perflorinated high potential analogues, chromophores currently showing promise as highly efficient sensitizers in dye sensitized solar cells, on TiO2 film but also on the effect of anchor length and sensitizer orientation on the rates of electron injection and back electron transfer at the sensitizer-TiO2 interface.

A dissertation is presented on the bioreduction of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles. The study shows that an alternative extracellular electron transfer mechanism other than the classical 'direct-contact' mechanism may be simultaneously employed by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 during solid-phase metal reduction. This conclusion is supported by analysis of the bioreduction kinetics of hematite nanoparticles coupled with microscopic investigations of cell-mineral interactions. The reduction kinetics of metal-oxide nanoparticles were examined to determine how S. oneidensis utilizes these environmentally-relevant solid-phase electron acceptors. Nanoparticles involved in geochemical reactions show different properties relative to larger particles of the same phase, and their reactivity is predicted to change as a function of size. To demonstrate these size-dependent effects, the surface area normalized reduction rates of hematite nanoparticles by S. oneidensis MR-1 with lactate as the sole electron donor were measured. As evident from whole cell TEM analysis, the mode of nanoparticle adhesion to cells is different between the more aggregated, pseudo-hexagonal to irregular shaped 11 nm, 12 nm, 99 nm and the less aggregated 30 nm and 43 nm rhombohedral particles. The 11 nm, 12 nm and 99 nm particles show less cell contact and coverage than the 30 nm and 43 nm particles but still show significant rates of reduction. This leads to the provisional speculation that S. oneidensis MR-1 employs a pathway of indirect electron transfer in conjunction with the direct-contact pathway, and the relative importance of the mechanism employed depends upon aggregation level and the shape of the particles or crystal faces exposed. In accord with the proposed increase in electronic band-gap for hematite nanoparticles, the smallest particles (11 nm) exhibit one order of magnitude decrease in reduction when compared with larger (99 nm) particles, and the 12 nm rates fall in between these two. This effect may also be due to the passivation of the mineral and cell surfaces by Fe(II), or decreasing solubility due to decrease in size.
Ph. D.