Antonio Abate was born on July 28, 1983 in Napoli, Italy. Since January 2011 he has a Postdoctoral Research Assistant position at the Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford. In 2007 he got a Master degree in Material Science at University of Naples, Federico II and in 2010 he received a PhD in Chemistry from Politecnico di Milano. His main research interest is the study of optoelectronic properties of self assembling organic materials for applications in photovoltaic devices.
Abstract: The deliberate construction of (6,3) networks via halogen bond-driven self-assembly of tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate, periodate, and perrhenate with 1,4-diiodotetra- fluorobenzene is reported. The mononegative oxyanions sit at network nodes and work as tridentate halogen bond (XB) acceptors, the diiodobenzene derivative spaces the nodes and function as a bidentate XB donor, while the ammonium cations occupy the space encircled by the supramolecular (6,3) frames. Mixed crystals wherein two different oxyanions statistically occupy the network nodes have also been obtained and show geometrical parameters intermediate to the corresponding pure crystals containing only one of the two oxyanions. Mononegative tetrahedral oxyanions are thus demonstrated to behave as general and effective tectons in anion coordination and anion-templated assembly driven by halogen bonding.
Abstract: The surface of mesoporous TiO2 electrodes has been functionalized with cysteine using different solutions for the subsequent attachment of colloidal CdSe QDs solved in toluene. The adsorption behaviors of both cysteine and CdSe QDs on the TiO2 nanoparticles has been investigated by Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The photoelectrochemical properties of the CdSe QDs sensitized TiO2 electrode have been characterized by using UV-Vis spectroscopy, photocurrent-potential measurement, open circuit voltage decay, and cyclic voltammetry. It is found that the amount of adsorbed cysteine becomes excessive when highly concentrated aqueous solutions were adopted instead of toluene solutions, leading to a blocking for the diffusion and adsorption of the CdSe QDs. This is translated into a decrease of light harvesting and short circuit current (Jsc) in the solar cell devices. On the other hand, it is suggested that the large amount of adsorbed cysteine on the surface of the TiO2 electrode could reduce the electron recombination at the interface between the TiO2 electrode and the electrolyte. As a consequence, the charge transfer resistance and fill factor became larger, and the electron lifetime became longer.
Abstract: Bis(trimethylammonium)hexane diiodide encapsulates iodine from solution and through a gas/solid reaction yielding in a predictable and controllable manner the selective formation of the rare polyiodide species I I–I I, which matches in length to the chosen dication.
Abstract: The supramolecular organization in six solid assemblies involving iodo- and bromoperfluoroarene derivatives is described. Single crystal X-ray analyses show that the formation of the supramolecular architectures is controlled by I Br–ArF, I I–ArF, Br I–ArF, and Cl I–ArF halogen bondings thus proving the X X0–ArF supramolecular synthon, where X can be the same as or different from X0, is particularly robust. In five of the described architectures halide anions form two halogen bondings and form infinite chains wherein dihaloperfluoroarenes, which function as bidentate electron acceptors, and halide anions, which function as bidentate electron donors, alternate. This behaviour shows halide anions have a fair tendency to work as bidentate halogen bonding acceptors.
