PHOTOSENSITIZATION OF COLLOIDAL SNO2 BY RUTHENIUM(II) POLYPYRIDINE DISSOLVED IN A SUPPORTED SURFACTANT BILAYER

Negatively charged SnO2 particles (ca. 4-nm diameter) serve as support s for bilayers composed of didodecyldimethylammonium ion in aqueous so ls. An amphiphilic Ru(II) polypyridine complex incorporated into the b ilayer photosensitizes electron injection into the conduction band of the SnO2, but only the population bf complex dissolved in inner monola yer, in contact with the;support, is active. The high quantum efficien cy of charge transfer together with the relatively slow rate of recomb ination between the conduction band electron and the Ru(III) polypyrid ine complex makes this medium promising for studies of electron-transf er processes in surfactant bilayer assemblies.