Fabrication and interfacial electronic structure studies on polypyrrole/TiO2 nano hybrid systems for photovoltaic...

The progress in studying the interfacial electronic structures of the developing new class of hybrid organic/inorganic material systems have envisaged a new dimension into the field of photovoltaics, which could be of great help in understanding the nature of charge transfer in them. In this regard, electropolymerization of pyrrole monomers have been carried out at room temperature on the surface of TiO2 working electrodes (assisted by UV radiations) and their interfacial electronic structure has been studied as a function of the applied photo anodic potentials. The formation of polypyrrole deposits has been ensured using FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Surface analysis of the hybrid matrix revealed the tendency of polymer molecules to cover up the spherical surface of TiO2 nanoparticles that could help in improving the light absorption rate. Signals (bands) corresponding to pyrrole molecules observed in the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements have been correlated with the polaronic states formed and identified to shift as a function of the applied photo anodic potentials, revealing the decrease in work function of the hybrid system to take place (confirmed using cyclic voltammetry measurements). The decreasing trend in the work function elucidates the adjustment in electronic structure of the system (hybrid materials possessing smaller work functions are generally preferred for photovoltaic studies). The aforementioned behavioural aspects have been reasoned with the increase in overpotential values for polarization, from the decrease in up-take rate of the anionic dopant, which increases the current density values, thereby modifying the conductivity of the systems.