Photoelectrochemical properties of poly(terthiophene) films modified with a fullerene derivative

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 515; no. 4; pp. 2644 - 2649
• Main Authors: Santos, Marcos J.L., Girotto, Emerson M., Nogueira, Ana Flávia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 05-12-2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Chemistry; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Conducting polymer; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electrochemistry; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerene; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; General and physical chemistry; Interface; Kinetics and mechanism of reactions; Materials science; Photoconduction and photovoltaic effects; photodielectric effects; Physics; Poly(terthiophene); Specific materials; Surface conductivity and carrier phenomena; Fullerene; Poly(terthiophene); Electrochemistry; Conducting polymer; Interface; Liquid solid interface; Charge carriers; Semiconductor materials; Hybrid material; Photocurrents; Charge transport; Thin films; Tin oxides; Conducting polymers; Fullerenes; Indium oxides; Photoconductivity; Carrier density
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2006.04.021

This work reports on the photoelectrochemical properties of an interface comprised by poly(terthiophene) films electrochemically synthesized onto indium–tin oxide substrates and modified with 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)-propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6)C61. Important photoelectrical parameters, such as flat band potential, density of charge carriers and depletion layer width were determined for the pristine and hybrid films. The cathodic photocurrent reflected the p-type semiconducting behavior of the electrosynthesized poly(terthiophene)s. Addition of the acceptor molecule improves the photocurrent at zero bias (∼6 μA cm−2 at 100 mW cm−2) indicating the fullerene derivative acts as an exciton dissociation center, improving the number of charge carriers transported through the polymer to reach the solid–liquid electrolyte interface.