First Principles Probing of Photo-Generated Intermolecular Charge Transfer State in Conjugated Oligomers

We perform density functional theory calculations to investigate the polaron pair （charge transfer state） photo-generation in donor-acceptor oligomer methyl-capped （4,7- benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole-2,6-（4,4-bis（2-ethylhexyl）-4H-cyclopent a[1,2-b;3,4-b＇]dithiophene-4, 7-benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole） （CPDTBT）. Results show that effective photo-generation of charge transfer state can happen in CPDTBT dimer when the group 4,7-benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole （BT） in one monomer deviates against the conjugated plane （onset torsion angle is about 20°）. The lower excitation energy （530 nm） can only generate the intramolecular excitonic state, while the higher excitation energy （370 nm） can generate the intermolecular charge transfer state, in good agreement with the experiment. Moreover, the mechanism of charge separation in CPDTBT oligorners is discussed.

Influence of O-O formation pathways and charge transfer mediator on lipid bilayer membrane-like photoanodes for water oxidation

Inspired by the function of crucial components in photosystemⅡ(PSⅡ),electrochemical and dyesensitized photoelectrochemical(DSPEC)water oxidation devices were constructed by the selfassembly of well-designed amphipathic Ru(bda)-based catalysts(bda=2,2'-bipyrdine-6,6'-dicarbonoxyl acid)and aliphatic chain decorated electrode surfaces,forming lipid bilayer membrane(LBM)-like structures.The Ru(bda)catalysts on electrode-supported LBM films demonstrated remarkable water oxidation performance with different O-O formation mechanisms.However,compared to the slow charge transfer process,the O-O formation pathways did not determine the PEC water oxidation efficiency of the dyesensitized photoanodes,and the different reaction rates for similar catalysts with different catalytic paths did not determine the PEC performance of the DSPECs.Instead,charge transfer plays a decisive role in the PEC water oxidation rate.When an indolo[3,2-b]carbazole derivative was introduced between the Ru(bda)catalysts and aliphatic chain-modified photosensitizer in LBM films,serving as a charge transfer mediator for the tyrosine-histidine pair in PSⅡ,the PEC water oxidation performance of the corresponding photoanodes was dramatically enhanced.

High-Efficiency Photo-Induced Charge Transfer for SERS Sensing in N-Doped 3D-Graphene on Si Heterojunction

Nitrogen-doped three-dimensional graphene(N-doped 3D-graphene)is a graphene derivative with excellent adsorption capacity,large specific surface area,high porosity,and optoelectronic properties.Herein,N-doped 3D-graphene/Si heterojunctions were grown in situ directly on silicon(Si)substrates via plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition(PACVD),which is promising for surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)substrates candidates.Combined analyses of theoretical simulation,incorporating N atoms in 3D-graphene are beneficial to increase the electronic state density of the system and enhance the charge transfer between the substrate and the target molecules.The enhancement of the optical and electric fields benefits from the stronger light-matter interaction improved by the natural nano-resonator structure of N-doped 3D-graphene.The as-prepared SERS substrates based on N-doped 3D-graphene/Si heterojunctions achieve ultra-low detection for various molecules:10^(-8)M for methylene blue(MB)and 10^(-9)M for crystal violet(CRV)with rhodamine(R6G)of 10^(10)M.In practical detected,10^(-8)M thiram was precisely detected in apple peel extract.The results indicate that N-doped 3D-graphene/Si heterojunctions based-SERS substrates have promising applications in low-concentration molecular detection and food safety.

Reversed charge transfer induced by nickel in Fe-Ni/Mo_(2)C@nitrogen-doped carbon nanobox for promoted reversible oxygen electrocatalysis

The interaction between metal and support is critical in oxygen catalysis as it governs the charge transfer between these two entities,influences the electronic structures of the supported metal,affects the adsorption energies of reaction intermediates,and ultimately impacts the catalytic performance.In this study,we discovered a unique charge transfer reversal phenomenon in a metal/carbon nanohybrid system.Specifically,electrons were transferred from the metal-based species to N-doped carbon,while the carbon support reciprocally donated electrons to the metal domain upon the introduction of nickel.This led to the exceptional electrocatalytic performances of the resulting Ni-Fe/Mo_(2)C@nitrogen-doped carbon catalyst,with a half-wave potential of 0.91 V towards oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and a low overpotential of 290 m V at 10 mA cm^(-2)towards oxygen evolution reaction(OER)under alkaline conditions.Additionally,the Fe-Ni/Mo_(2)C@carbon heterojunction catalyst demonstrated high specific capacity(794 mA h g_(Zn)~(-1))and excellent cycling stability(200 h)in a Zn-air battery.Theoretical calculations revealed that Mo_(2)C effectively inhibited charge transfer from Fe to the support,while secondary doping of Ni induced a charge transfer reversal,resulting in electron accumulation in the Fe-Ni alloy region.This local electronic structure modulation significantly reduced energy barriers in the oxygen catalysis process,enhancing the catalytic efficiency of both ORR and OER.Consequently,our findings underscore the potential of manipulating charge transfer reversal between the metal and support as a promising strategy for developing highly-active and durable bi-functional oxygen electrodes.

Modulating charge separation and transfer for high-performance photoelectrodes via built-in electric field

Constructing a built-in electric field has emerged as a key strategy for enhancing charge separation and transfer,thereby improving photoelectrochemical performance.Recently,considerable efforts have been devoted to this endeavor.This review systematically summarizes the impact of built-in electric fields on enhancing charge separation and transfer mechanisms,focusing on the modulation of built-in electric fields in terms of depth and orderliness.First,mechanisms and tuning strategies for built-in electric fields are explored.Then,the state-of-the-art works regarding built-in electric fields for modulating charge separation and transfer are summarized and categorized according to surface and interface depth.Finally,current strategies for constructing bulk built-in electric fields in photoelectrodes are explored,and insights into future developments for enhancing charge separation and transfer in high-performance photoelectrochemical applications are provided.

Decouple charge transfer reactions in the Li-ion battery

In the development of Li-ion batteries(LIBs)with high energy/power density,long cycle-life,fast charging,and high safety,an insight into charge transfer reactions is required.Although electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS)is regarded as a powerful diagnosis tool,it is not a direct but an indirect measurement.With respect to this,some critical questions need to be answered:(i)why EIS can reflect the kinetics of charge transfer reactions;(ii)what the inherent logical relationship between impedance models under different physical scenes is;(iii)how charge transfer reactions compete with each other at multiple scales.This work aims at answering these questions via developing a theory framework so as to mitigate the blindness and uncertainty in unveiling charge transfer reactions in LIBs.To systematically answer the above questions,this article is organized into a three-in-one(review,tutorial,and research)type and the following contributions are made:(i)a brief review is given for impedance model development of the LIBs over the past half century;(ii)an open source code toolbox is developed based on the unified impedance model;(iii)the competive mechanisms of charge transfer reactions are unveiled based on the developed EIS-Toolbox@LIB.This work not only clarifies theoretical fundamentals,but also provides an easy-to-use open source code for EIS-Toolbox@LIB to optimize fast charge/discharge,mitigate cycle aging,and improve energy/power density.

First-Principles Investigation of Charge Transfer Mechanism of B-Doped 3C-SiC Semiconductor Material

This study delves into the charge transfer mechanism of boron (B)-doped 3C-SiC through first-principles investigations. We explore the effects of B doping on the electronic properties of 3C-SiC, focusing on a 12.5% impurity concentration. Our comprehensive analysis encompasses structural properties, electronic band structures, and charge density distributions. The optimized lattice constant and band gap energy of 3C-SiC were found to be 4.373 Å and 1.36 eV respectively, which is in agreement with previous research (Bui, 2012;Muchiri et al., 2018). Our results show that B doping narrows the band gap, enhances electrical conductivity, and influences charge transfer interactions. The charge density analysis reveals substantial interactions between B dopants and surrounding carbon atoms. This work not only enhances our understanding of the material’s electronic properties, but also highlights the importance of charge density analysis for characterizing charge transfer mechanisms and their implications in the 3C-SiC semiconductors.

Visualization of Metal-to-Ligand and Ligand-to-Ligand Charge Transfer in MetaloLigand Complexes

Three methods including the atomic resolved density of state, charge difference density, and the transition density matrix are used to visualize metal to ligand charge transfer （MLCT） in ruthenium（II） ammine complex. The atomic resolved density of state shows that there is density of Ru on the HOMOs. All the density is localized on the ammine, which reveals that the excited electrons in the Ru complex are delocalized over the ammine ligand. The charge difference density shows that all the holes are localized on the Ru and the electrons on the ammine. The localization explains the MLCT on excitation. The transition density matrix shows that there is electron-hole coherence between Ru and ammine. These methods are also used to examine the MLCT in Os（bpy）2（p0p）Cl （＂Osp0p＂： bpy=2,2-bipyrldyl; p0p=4,4＇- bipyridyl） and the ligand-to-ligand charge transfer （LLCT） in Alq3. The calculated results show that these methods are powerful to examine MLCT and LLCT in the metal-ligand system.

Recent advances in high charge density triboelectric nanogenerators

Triboelectric materials with high charge density are the building-block for the commercial application of triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs).Unstable dynamic processes influence the change of the charge density on the surface and inside of triboelectric materials.The charge density of triboelectric materials depends on the surface and the internal charge transfer processes.The focus of this review is on recent advances in high charge density triboelectric materials and advances in the fabrication of TENGs.We summarize the existing strategies for achieving high charge density in triboelectric materials as well as their fundamental properties.We then review current optimization methods for regulating dynamic charge transfer processes to increase the output charge density:first,increasing charge injection and limiting charge dissipation to achieve a high average surface charge density,and second,regulating the internal charge transfer process and storing charge in triboelectric materials to increase the output charge density.Finally,we present the challenges and prospects in developing high-performance triboelectric materials.

Extended Holstein polaron model for charge transfer in dry DNA

The variational method is applied to the study of charge transfer in dry DNA by using an extended Holstein small polaron model in two cases： the site-dependent flnite-chain discrete case and the site-independent continuous one. The treatments in the two cases are proven to be consistent in theory and calculation. Discrete and continuous treatments of Holstein model both can yield a nonlinear equation to describe the charge migration in an actual long-range DNA chain. Our theoretical results of binding energy Eb, probability amplitude of charge carrier Ф and the relation between energy and charge-lattice coupling strength are in accordance with the available experimental results and recent theoretical calculations.

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation on Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer Coupled Charge Transfer Reaction of Baicalein

The excited state intramolecular proton transfer （ESIPT） coupled charge transfer of baicalein has been investigated using steady-state spectroscopic experiment and quantum chemistry calculations. The absence of the absorption peak from S1 excited state both in the experi-mental and calculated absorption spectra indicates that S1 is a dark state. The dark excited state S1 results in the very weak fluorescence of solid baicalein in the experiment. The fron- tier molecular orbital and the charge difference densities of baicalein show clearly that the S1 state is a charge-transfer state whereas the S2 state is a locally excited state. The only one stationary point on the potential energy profile of excited state suggests that the ESIPT reaction of baicalein is a barrierless process.

Charge transfer in plasma assisted dry reforming of methane using a nanosecond pulsed packed-bed reactor discharge

This paper is aimed to investigate the effect of packing material on plasma characteristic from the viewpoint of charge transfer process.Both the charge accumulation and release processes in the dielectric barrier discharge reactor and packed-bed reactor were investigated by measuring voltage and current waveforms and taking ICCD images.The packing material was ZrO2 pellets and the reactors were driven by a parameterized nanosecond pulse source.The quantity of transferred charges in the dielectric barrier discharge reactor was enhanced when decreasing pulse rise time or increasing pulse width(within 150 ns),but reduced when the gas gap was packed with pellets.The quantity of accumulated charges in the primary discharge was larger than the quantity of released charges in the secondary discharges in the dielectric barrier discharge reactor,but they were almost equal in the packed-bed reactor.It indicates that the discharge behavior has been changed from the view of charge transfer process once the gas gap was packed with pellets,and the ICCD images confirmed it.

Intramolecular spatial charge transfer enhances TADF efficiency

Organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF)emitters have been advancing fast since 2012, behaving like the next-generation electroluminescent (EL) materials with the advantages of 100%exciton utilization efficiency, full-color emission tunability, and low cost[1].

Reactivity of Indoles through the Eyes of a Charge-Transfer Partitioning Analysis

A global and local charge transfer partitioning model,based on the cornerstone theory developed by Robert G.Parr and Robert G.Pearson,which introduces two charge transfer channels(one for accepting electrons(electrophilic) and another for donating(nucleophilic)),is applied to the reaction of a set of indoles with 4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan.The global analysis indicates that the prevalent electron transfer mechanism in the reaction is a nucleophilic one on the indoles,i.e.,the indoles under consideration transfer electrons to 4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan.Evaluating the reactivity descriptorswith exchange-correlation functionals including exact exchange(global hybrids) yields slightly better correlations than those obtained with generalized gradient-approximated functionals;however,the trends are preserved.Comparing the trend obtained with the number of electrons donated by the indoles,and predicted by the partitioning model,with that observed experimentally based on the measured rate constants,we propose that the number of electrons transferred through this channel can be used as a nucleophilicity scale to order the reactivity of indoles towards 4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan.This approach to obtain reactivity scales has the advantage of depending on the intrinsic properties of the two reacting species;therefore,it opens the possibility that the same group of molecules may show different reactivity trends depending on the species with which they are reacting.The local model allows systematic incorporation of the reactive atoms based on the their decreasing condensed Fukui functions,and the correlations obtained by increasing the number of reactive atoms participating in the local analysis of the transferred nucleophilic charge improve,reaching an optimal correlation,which in the present case indicates keeping three atoms from the indoles and two from 4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan.The atoms selected by this procedure provide valuable information about the local reactivity of the indoles.We further show that this information about the most reactive atoms on each reactant,combined with the spatial distribution of the nucleophilic and electrophilic Fukui functions of both reactants,allows one to propose non-trivial candidates of starting geometries for the search of the transition state structures present in these reactions.

Negative inductive effect enhances charge transfer driving in sulfonic acid functionalized graphitic carbon nitride with efficient visible-light photocatalytic performance

Efficient photogenerated carrier migration/separation plays a critical role in increasing the photocatalytic performance of g-C_(3)N_(4).Herein,sulfonic acid group-functionalized g-C_(3)N_(4)(SACN)was synthesized and then synchronously strengthened by a facile-solid-state thermal reaction of g-C_(3)N_(4)and sulfamic acid.As a solid strong acid,sulfamic acid can be used to achieve acid etching on the surface of g-C_(3)N_(4)with the assistance of thermal treatment,leading to an enlarged specific surface area and increased surface catalytic reaction sites.More importantly,our experiments and density functional theory calculations indicate that the driving force generated by the negative inductive effect of sulfonic acid groups significantly improves the charge transfer dynamics and effectively inhibits their recombination.Moreover,the negative inductive effect can induce charge redistribution,which reduces the conduction band potential of g-C_(3)N_(4)to enhance the reduction ability of photo-induced electrons.As a result,the SACN-400 sample showed excellent photocatalytic performance in H2 generation with an apparent quantum efficiency of 11.03%at 420±15 nm,as well as an efficient photodegradation rate for organic pollutants.

UV-visible Absorption Studies of Tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone and Tertiary Amines Charge Transfer Complexes in Trichloromcthane

The spectophotometry of charge transfer (CT) complexes of tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone(TCB) with tertiary amine [triethylamine (TEA), triphylamine (TPA), N,N-dimethylphenylamine(DMPA), N-ethylcarbazole (ECZ)] have been studied in dichloromethane in UV-visible region.The CT complexes parameter, molar ratio of reactAnts in complex, molar extinction coefficient equilibrium constant KCT, free energy G and dissociation energy of the CT complex excited stateE, have also been estimated and discussed.

Nonradiative charge transfer in collisions of protons with rubidium atoms

The nonradiative charge-transfer cross sections for protons colliding with Rb（5s） atoms are calculated by using the quantum-mechanical molecularorbital close-coupling method in an energy range of 10-a keV-10 keV. The total and state-selective charge-transfer cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental data in the relatively low energy region. The importance of rotational coupling for chargetransfer process is stressed. Compared with the radiative charge-transfer process, nonradiative charge transfer is a dominant mechanism at energies above 15 eV. The resonance structures of state-selective charge-transfer cross sections arising from the competition among channels are analysed in detail. The radiative and nonradiative1 charge-transfer rate coefficients from low to high temperature are presented.

Theoretical study on twisted intramolecular charge transfer of 1-aminoanthraquinone in different solvents

The twisted intramolecular charge transfer and the excited state relaxation of 1-aminoanthraquinone （1-NH2-AQ） in different solvents are investigated using quantum chemical calculations in this paper. The geometries of the ground state are optimized both in gas and solvents based on the high-level ab initio calculations, the lowest excited singlet state geometry is optimized only in gas for simplicity. An intramolecular charge transfer property is substantiated by the large change of dipole moments between the So and S1 states. The mechanism of twisted intramolecular charge transfer is proposed by the conformational relaxation on the potential surface of the $1 state. Quantum chemical calculations present that internal conversion and intersystem crossing are important approaches to the ultrafast deactivation of the S~ state via the twisting of the amino group, The smaller energy difference between the So and S1 state shows that the internal conversion process is much faster in a polar solvent than in a nonpolar solvent. Energy intersections between the T2 and S1 state in cyclohexane and dioxane indicate a faster intersystem crossing process in them than in ethanol. These theoretical results agree well with the previous experimental results. Energy barriers are predicted on the potential surface of the S1 state, and they have a positive correlation to solvent viscosity, and the timescale of twisted intra-molecular charge transfer in dioxane is predicted to be longer than in cyclohexane and ethanol.

Fast and Balanced Charge Transport Enabled by Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Layers for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

Metal oxide charge transport materials are preferable for realizing long-term stable and potentially low-cost perovskite solar cells(PSCs).However,due to some technical difficulties(e.g.,intricate fabrication protocols,high-temperature heating process,incompatible solvents,etc.),it is still challenging to achieve efficient and reliable all-metal-oxide-based devices.Here,we developed efficient inverted PSCs(IPSCs)based on solution-processed nickel oxide(NiO_(x))and tin oxide(SnO_(2))nanoparticles,working as hole and electron transport materials respectively,enabling a fast and balanced charge transfer for photogenerated charge carriers.Through further understanding and optimizing the perovskite/metal oxide interfaces,we have realized an outstanding power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 23.5%(the bandgap of the perovskite is 1.62 eV),which is the highest efficiency among IPSCs based on all-metal-oxide charge transport materials.Thanks to these stable metal oxides and improved interface properties,ambient stability(retaining 95%of initial PCE after 1 month),thermal stability(retaining 80%of initial PCE after 2 weeks)and light stability(retaining 90%of initial PCE after 1000 hours aging)of resultant devices are enhanced significantly.In addition,owing to the low-temperature fabrication procedures of the entire device,we have obtained a PCE of over 21%for flexible IPSCs with enhanced operational stability.

Synthesis and characterization of Ca2Sn1-xCexO4 with blue luminescence originating from Ce^4＋ charge transfer transition

Ce^4＋-doped Ca2SnO4 with a one-dimensional structure, which emits bright blue light, is prepared by using a solid-state reaction method. The x-ray diffraction results show that the Ce^4＋ ions doped in Ca2SnO4 occupy the Sn^4＋ sites. The excitation and emission spectra of Ca2Sn1-xCexO4 appear to have broad bands with peaks at - 268nm and -442nm, respectively. A long excited-state lifetime （-83μs） for the emission from Ca2Sn1-xCexO4 suggests that the luminescence originates from a ligand-to-metal Ce^4＋ charge transfer （CT）. The luminescent properties of Ca2Snl_xCexO4 have been compared with those of Sr2CeO4, which is the only material reported so far to show Ce^4＋ CT luminescence. More interestingly, it is observed that the emission intensity of Ca2Sn1-xCexO4 with a small doping concentration （x - 0.03） is comparable to that of Sr2CeO4 in which the concentration of active centre is 100%.