Synthesis, Characterization and Photoelectric Properties of the Silicon Phthalocyanine-Modified Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes

Silicon phthalocyanine(SiPc) was covalently grated onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to form nano-hybrid materials of phthalocyanine-modified MWCNTs (MWCNT-Pc) via the click amide reaction. The nanotube derivatives were fully characterized by various standard analytical techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. The results showed that each of the 457 carbon atoms covalently bonded a phthalocyanine molecule. In order to study the light-induced electron transfer in the MWCNT-Pc composites, fluorescence quenching via the non-covalent electrostatic assembly of MWCNT-NH(2) and silicon phthalocyanine was investigated. The results showed the existence of the light-induced electron transfer from phthalocyanine to MWCNTs. At the same time, the photoelectrode of the ITO(indium tin oxide-coated glass)/MWCNT-Pc was fabricated by the method of spray-coating, and the study of its photoelectric properties indicated that the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density were 0.434 V and 0.158 mA.cm(-2), respectively, under the illumination of AM1.5 standard simulative solar light. The internal photoconversion efficiency at 360 nm was up to 19.8%.