Abstract

Graphene oxide is a novel substance that has the potential to

upturn electrical storage(6) and renewable energy due to its incredible energy density and versatility(5). Solar cells today are limited to certain wavelengths of light, and many can only absorb a
certain percentage of photons(4). This experiment details a way to
synthesize a solar cell by covalently bonding graphene oxide with
one pthalocyanine dye that has known photovoltaic value(8). Three
solutions were made of graphene oxide and zinc pthalocyanine,
with each one including a different amount of the catalyst, potassium carbonate. One of the solutions was a control with no graphene oxide to test the other reactant for absorbance of photons
after going through spectroscopy. The solutions were left to react
48 and 168 hours to determine the effectiveness of the catalyst.
Each solution was tested for spectroscopic absorbance and excitation, to understand how photons react with each product.
The amount of potassium carbonate used as a catalyst had no
direct influence on the spectroscopic properties of the product.
For each interval of time that each solution was left to synthesize,
the material absorbed an identical amount of photons. Our data
conclusively showed that the potassium carbonate catalyst was an
unnecessary aspect of the reaction and that a spectroscopically
similar product could be synthesized without it. Overall, this demonstrated the capability of a photovoltaic cell synthesized with graphene oxide and a zinc pthalocyanine. The product absorbed light
in a peak wavelength of 670 nm, absorbing ultraviolet light optimal for solar panels. Our data is an outline that will help future researchers understand not only how graphene oxide reacts in a
photovoltaic cell, but also the spectroscopic properties of the product of a non-complex reaction.

Methodology

Spectroscopy Data

- 3 Solutions were synthesized, each with differing amounts of the reactants

Solution 1
Solution 2
Solution 3

Graphene Oxide ZnF16Pc

1mg
5.5mg
1mg
5.5mg
0mg
5.5mg

K2CO3
1mg
0mg
1mg

- Solutions were suspended in 95% dimethylformamide (DMF)

- Left in oil bath and extracted after 48 hours then 168 hours
- Solutions balanced with DMF, and analyzed using UV/vis spectroscopy
- pH 7.0 ammonium acetate buffer added, and spectroscopic analysis was repeated

Bonding of GO + ZnF16Pc
Catalyst

Conclusions
- Both solutions with GO and ZnF16Pc bonded together
- Shown in difference between solutions with and without GO
- Intensity increased for solutions with GO
- Single peak indicates that the solution fully bonded
- Synthesis of a photovoltaic cell with GO and ZnF16Pc is possible
- Absorbs sustainable amount of UV light
- Amount of catalyst added does not affect spectroscopic qualities
- Future researchers should experiment with other catalysts
FIG 3: GO + Pc shown. Covalent bonds are formed where the fluorine atoms are located on
the phthalocyanine. A varying number of ZnF16Pc can bond to the GO. This number is reflected in intensity and how many peaks appear in the spectroscopy data.

Introduction
- Graphene
- discovered in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin
Novoselov3
- near instantaneous and extremely efficient transfer of
electrons throughout structure7
- because of its unique shape, graphene research
can be applied to hundreds of different studies1
- Zinc hexadecafluoro-phthalocyanine (ZnF16Pc)
- known photovoltaic dye that is responsible for the color of
solar cells8
- reactant that is covalently bonded to graphene oxide
- UV/vis spectroscopy
- uses photons of light to identify properties of a suspended
material2
- the photoelectric absorbance and emission characteristics
of our product can be analyzed

FIG 5: Excitation for all solutions in DMF. Solutions without GO are not as intense as those with, an
expected outcome from the control

Spectroscopy Data

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Dr. Charles Drain for allowing me to work in
his lab at Hunter College. Very special thanks go out to Christopher Farley for leading me in my lab work. And perhaps most importantly Erin Schmitz and Lutz Holzinger for bringing the Science Research program to Packer and for guiding me through it

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FIG 1: Example of the Molecular Structure

of a Graphene lattice1

FIG 2: How the Spectrophotometer detects how

the sample reacts to different wavelengths of
light2

FIG 4: Absorbtion of all GO+ZnF16Pc solutions in DMF. Each follows a trend of peaking in the 670
nm wavelength, except for the solutions not containing GO.

8) Sei, T., & Kuwahata, R. (n.d.). Thin film photovoltaic cell using zinc oxide and zinc phtalocyanine.
Coatings on Glass 1998, 415-420.