EAPSI: Anion Binding Directed Supramolecular Donor-Acceptor Assemblies for Photoinduced Charge Separa

Webre Whitney A, Denton TX

Investigators

Abstract

Solar energy is an excellent renewable energy source because of the near unlimited amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface. An avenue towards improved solar generation is the development of solar cells that employ copycat systems based on photosynthesis. The research will involve design, syntheses, and characterization of electron donor-acceptor hybrids where light energy can be stored in the form of radical ion-pairs. The work will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Jonathan Hill at the National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS) in Tsukuba, Japan. The collaboration provides direct access to unique techniques available at NIMS. Development of renewable energy sources is a matter of major scientific and social importance, and this project will have a positive impact on renewable solar energy harvesting. Research on renewable energy is essential due to the limited fossil energy resources and environmental problems they continue to generate. Converting solar energy into electricity or fuel using donor-acceptor systems, Nature?s way of harvesting light energy, has gained much interest in recent years. In this project, the development of novel self-assembled via anion binding donor-acceptor conjugates comprised of metalloporphyrin and oxoporphyrinogen as wide band capturing light energy harvesting systems will by synthesized in Dr. Hill's laboratory at NIMS. The syntheses, characterization, spectroscopic and electrochemical studies will be performed at NIMS and photoinduced electron transfer leading to charge separation in the newly developed conjugates will be investigated using time-resolved emission and transient absorption techniques at the University of North Texas under Dr. Francis D'Souza after the program is completed. This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.