Metal ion linked multilayers on mesoporous substrates: Energy/electron transfer, photon upconversion, and more

Abstract

Metal ion linked multilayers on mesoporous, semiconducting surfaces have recently emerged as a simple but effective strategy to facilitate photoinduced energy and electron transfer events at organic-inorganic interfaces. In this manuscript, we recount our group’s work in understanding, controlling, and harnessing photoinduced processes in these multilayer assemblies. This includes, 1) manipulating interfacial electron transfer rates at dye-semiconductor interfaces, 2) generating directional energy and electron cascade solar cells, and 3) facilitating and harnessing molecular photon upconversion via triplet-triplet annihilation. We then close with a brief summary of the progress to date, general limitations with the current films/work, and an outlook as to what the future may hold for these multilayer films.