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Polyaniline–Si Nanoparticle Nanocapsules as a Dual Photovoltaic Sensitizer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 April 2013

Yulia Maximenko
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 W Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A.
Noha Elhalawany
Affiliation:
Polymers and Pigments Department, Chemical Industrial Division, National Research Center, El Buhouth Street, Dokki, Cairo, 12311, Egypt
Kevin Mantey
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 W Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A.
Zain Yamani
Affiliation:
Center of Excellence in NanoTechnology, KFUPM, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia
Siu-Tung Yau
Affiliation:
Electrical Engineering, Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, SH 332, Cleveland, OH 44115-2214, U.S.A.
Munir H. Nayfeh
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 W Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A.
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Abstract

We examine the optical and structural properties of polyaniline–silicon nanoparticle capsules — a novel organic/inorganic material. The Si particles absorb UV/blue efficiently and green moderately, while polyaniline (PANI) in its green emeraldine state absorbs UV and red/IR efficiently, effectively providing absorption over a wide range of the solar spectrum. The capsules are produced by miniemulsion of aniline monomers in the presence of Si nanoparticles. Thin films of the capsules were formed on a variety of substrates. We use high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HTEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to record the structural properties. We also monitor the optical properties of the Si core and the PANI shell using fluorescence microscopy under UV and visible irradiation. Upon on-off cycles of UV irradiation and visible light, the red core switches reversibly between bright and dark states while PANI switches reversibly between emeraldine green and pernigraniline violet states. The results are analyzed in terms of excitonic excitation, charge separation, and transport between the core and the shell, which is useful for photovoltaic applications.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013

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References

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