Abstract
Photoinduced electron transfer from the charge-transfer excited states of Ru(tpy)(bpy(COOH)₂)$CN^+$, Ru(tpy)(bpy(COOH)₂)$Cl^+$, Ru(tpy)(bpy(COOH)₂)H₂+O², and Ru(tpy)(bqu(COOH)₂)$Cl^+$ to the conduction band of TiO₂ has been studied through photoelectrochemical methods. Ru(tpy)(bpy(COOH)₂)$CN^+$ produced the highest current density and open-circuit photovoltage, whereas Ru(tpy)(bqy(COOH)₂)$Cl^+$ produced the lowest values. A potential barrier was employed to explain the experimental result that the rate of the electron transfer increases with increasing the energy difference between the donor and acceptor. A sensitizer with a high current density yielded a high photovoltage and a high conversion efficiency. The reduction rate of the oxidized sensitizer decreased with the increases in the reduction potential of the sensitizer, resulting in a poor stability of a photoelectrochemical cell.