ZnO nanorods assembled with different porphyrins – size-tunable hybrid particles

Abstract

We present a fundamental study on ZnO nanorod–porphyrin assembly formation in solution, providing the key to novel tunable hybrid assemblies with potential in solar energy conversion. The combination of 40 nm ZnO nanorods with ionic porphyrins – meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) and meso-tetra-(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS) – results in the formation of novel well-defined hybrid assemblies which are stable in solution and exhibit an adjustable size up to 500 nm. Structures have been characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and absorption and emission spectroscopy. In particular, the combination of both porphyrins with ZnO in a ternary assembly yields a large stability range in terms of the TCPP/ZnO ratio and may be of significance as a hybrid system for solar cells or photocatalysis.