Photoinduced electron transfer in supramolecules composed of porphyrin/phthalocyanine and nanocarbon materials

Photoinduced electron transfer in supramolecules composed of porphyrin/phthalocyanine and nanocarbon materials such as fullerenes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, and single-walled carbon nanohorns have been reviewed. With the aid of highly efficient visible-light harvesting porphyrin/phthalocyanine, the photosensitized electron transfer takes place from the photoexcited porphyrin/phthalocyanine to fullerene, which acts as a strong electron acceptor. In the case of nanocarbon materials such as single-walled carbon nanotubes and nanohorns, they may act as electron-trapping sites. From the holes and electrons generated on porphyrin/phthalocyanine-nanocarbons, electron pooling takes place at the strong and stable electron trapper (viologen dication) in solution.