Catalytic properties of heavy-metal complex ions in enhancing photosensitizer efficiency for solar energy conversion and storage

Title : Catalytic properties of heavy-metal complex ions in enhancing photosensitizer efficiency for solar energy conversion and storage

Abstract:

The escalating necessity for globally viable, carbon-neutral energy infrastructures has catalyzed rigorous investigation into molecular systems capable of harvesting solar radiation and directing photoinduced charge separation for electrical output and durable energy retention. Heavy-metal complex ions based on Fe,Ru, Ir, and Re play a central role in advanced systems such as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), photocatalytic water splitting, and CO₂ reduction to solar fuels. Their distinctive optoelectronic characteristics, governed by intense spin–orbit coupling, ligand-field adaptability, and pronounced metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) dynamics, facilitate the generation of persistent excited states and support highly coordinated multielectron redox transformations. This study delineates the fundamental mechanisms through which such complexes augment the operational efficiency of photosensitizers: expanding the spectral window of light absorption into the visible and near-infrared domains, prolonging the lifetime of electronically excited intermediates, accelerating directional charge migration across interfacial junctions, and enabling sequential proton-coupled electron-transfer events indispensable for solar-fuel synthesis. Heavy metal ions play wonderful role enhencing photosenstizers catalysis for photochemical CO₂ reduction, and complex ions based catalytic architectures employed in both oxidative and reductive water photoreactions, alongside solar-driven organic catalysis. with emphasis on Transition metal ions chromophores applied in DSSCs, Fe,Re and Ru based molecular frameworks for photoreductive CO₂ valorization, and Ru/Ir catalytic motifs operative in oxidative and reductive photocatalytic water reactions as well as solar-mediated organic transformations.

Keywords: Heavy-metal complexes; photosensitizers; dye-sensitized solar cells; CO₂ reduction; water splitting; artificial photosynthesis; photocatalysis; solar fuels.

Biography:

Dr. Bijendra Singh is a researcher known for his work in the field of photogalvanic cells (PGCs), particularly in the context of solar energy conversion to contribute developing clean, renewable, and eco-friendly sources of energy with photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) to enhancing solar energy conversion and storage capacity, Nano materials application for biomedical impact, water treatment, medicine and recovery of minerals from waste materials with environmental impact. Dr. Bijendra Singh has completed his PhD from Central University of Gujarat, India and M.Phil. From School of Chemical Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, India. He has published more than 30 papers in reputed journals & more than 22 International and national oral presentation.