Electrodeposition of C₆₀Cluster Aggregates on Nanostructured SnO₂Films for Enhanced Photocurrent Generation

Abstract

Clusters of C60 formed in acetonitrile (ACN)/toluene solutions are deposited as thin films on nanostructured SnO2 electrodes under the influence of an electric field. These films exhibit remarkable photoelectrochemical activity under visible light excitation. The photocurrent observed with these novel electrodes (∼0.14 mA/cm2 obtained with visible light excitation, λ > 425 nm, 130 mW/cm2) is 2−3 orders of magnitude larger than previously reported values for a fullerene system. Direct electron transfer between the excited C60 clusters deposited on SnO2 nanocrystallites and the redox couple (I3-/I-) in solution is responsible for the enhanced photocurrent generation.