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Title: Electron transfer reactions in microporous solids

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7069873· OSTI ID:7069873

We have studied electron transfer quenching of the excited state of Ru(bpy){sub 3}{sup 2+} in aqueous suspensions of zeolites Y, L, and mordenite. The internal pore network of the zeolite is ion-exchanged with methylviologen cations, which quench the excited state of the surface-bound sensitizer. A detailed study of the quenching and charge recombination kinetics, using time-resolved luminescence quenching and transient diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, shows to remarkable effects: first, the excited state quenching is entirely dynamic is large-pore zeolites (L and Y), even when they are prepared as apparently dry'' powders (which still contain significant amounts of internally sited water). Second, a lower limit for the diffusion coefficient of the MV{sup 2+} ion in these zeolites, determined by this technique, is 10{sup {minus}7} cm{sup 2}sec, i.e., only about one order of magnitude slower than a typical ion in liquid water, and 2--3 orders of magnitude faster than charge transfer diffusion of cations in polyelectrolyte films or membranes such as Nafion. Surface sensitization of internally platinized layered oxide semiconductors such as K{sub 4-x}H{sub x}Nb{sub 6}O{sub 17}{center dot}nH{sub 2}O (x {approx} 2.5) yields photocatalysts for the production of H{sub 2} and I{sub 3{minus}} in aqueous iodide solutions. Layered alkali niobates and titanates form a class of zeolitic wide-bandap semiconductors, and are the first examples of photocatalysts that evolve hydrogen from an electrochemically reversible (i.e., non-sacrificial) electron donor with visible light excitation.

Research Organization:
Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FG05-87ER13789
OSTI ID:
7069873
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/13789-5; ON: DE92016222
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English