Chemical modification of diamond surface by a donor-acceptor organic chromophore (P1): Optimization of surface chemistry and electronic properties of diamond
Abstract
The first systematic study of P1-dye attachment to the surface of H-terminated boron-doped diamond (BDD) surface was carried out. Details about surface anchoring chemistry were explored on model nanodiamond particles.
The electronic properties of boron doped diamond films were tuned from semiconducting to quasi-metallic ones. The relevant materials were analyzed by advanced chemical analysis, zeta-potential, IR and TEM (nanoparticles), Raman, XPS, AFM, SEM, Hall-effect and by in-depth photo/electrochemical studies (films).
An improved photochemical grafting protocol was developed leading to a factor of 3 enhancement in photocurrent on comparable diamond electrodes. The champion electrode provided at 1 sun illumination a photocurrent of 6.6 mikroA cm(-2) which is the best value ever reported for a flat BDD electrode.