New hybrid materials with porphyrin-ferrocene and porphyrin-pyrene covalently linked to single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Novel porphyrin derivatives bearing additional pyrene or ferrocene units as light harvesting antenna systems were synthesized and fully characterized. Following a covalent functionalization approach for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), stable SWCNT suspensions in common organic solvents were produced. Subsequently, the resulting porphyrin-pyrene and porphyrin-ferrocene dyads were incorporated onto the nanotubes' backbone yielding donor–donor–acceptor hybrids. The resulting hybrid materials were soluble in common organic solvents and were characterized using micro-Raman, ATR-IR, UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and electrochemistry. Photoluminescence quenching of the porphyrin emission in both hybrid materials was detected thus suggesting the potentiality of these materials in photoelectrochemical cells.