Sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2 with 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic acid

Optical properties of 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic acid (PTCA) in the presence of nanocrystalline TiO2 (nominal diameter 15 nm) have been investigated in ethanol solution and in the solid state by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence. Experimental results show that, in ethanol, the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles causes significant changes in the typical absorption and fluorescence bands of PTCA and in the fluorescence relaxation time. Similar effects are also detected in solid samples, obtained by electrospray deposition technique. The nonlinear optical properties of the PTCA-TiO2 in ethanol solutions were investigated using the single-beam Z-s…