Spectroscopic investigation on the photoinduced charge-transfer between ferrocene and chloroform molecules confined in a poly(methyl methacrylate) thin film

The changes in the electronic absorption spectra (W-Vis) of ferrocene-doped poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) thin films, containing chloroform molecule s as impurities, after photoexcitations in air as well as in dry nitrogen a tmosphere have been investigated. Photoexcitations have been made by monoch romatic radiation (using a Xe-lamp source and a monochromator) at an interv al of few nanometers in the spectral range 210-750 nm. The changes in spect ra after photoexcitation have been studied as a function of: (i) time (dura tion) of photoexcitation; (ii) amount of ferrocene in the film; and (iii) a mount of chloroform molecules in the film. The analysis of the results has indicated the occurrence of photoinduced charge-transfer between ferrocene and chloroform molecules confined in the PMMA thin films. The action spectr um of photoinduced changes has shown one peak in the UV region at about 261 nm. Ferrocene-doped PMMA thin films containing chloroform molecules are ex pected to be useful in the photoelectrochemical devices. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.