Donor-acceptor systems have unique properties that make them ideal candidates for solar energy harvesting through mimicry of natural photosynthesis. This dissertation is focused on unraveling those unique properties in various types of donor-acceptor systems. The systems investigated are categorized as closely linked, push-pull, supramolecular, and multi-unit. As part of the study, photosynthetic analogues based on BF2-chelated dipyrromethene (BODIPY), porphyrin, phthalocyanine, truxene, ferrocene, quinone, phenothiazine (PTZ), perylenediimide (PDI), fullerene (C60), dicyanoquinodimethane (DCNQ), tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD), and triphenylamine (TPA) are investigated. The effects of proximity between donor-acceptor entities, their geometrical orientation relative to each other, push-pull character of substituents, and competitive energy and electron transfer are examined. In all systems, primary events of photosynthesis are observed, that is absorption and energy transfer and/or electron transfer is witnessed. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy is utilized to characterize the photo-induced events, while other methods such as steady-state luminescence, cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and computational calculations are used to aid in the characterization of the donor-acceptor systems, in particular their applicability as solar energy harvesters.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1703335 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Thomas, Michael Brandon |
| Contributors | D'Souza, Francis, Cundari, Thomas, Kelber, Jeffry, Wang, Hong, Sherman, Benjamin |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | xvi, 268 pages, Text |
| Rights | Public, Thomas, Michael Brandon, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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