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A supramolecular photovoltaic strategy is applied to enhance power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of photoelectrochemical devices by suppressing electron–hole recombination after photoinduced electron transfer (PET). Here, the author exploit supramolecular localization of the redox mediator—in close proximity to the dye—through a rotaxane topology, reducing electron–hole recombination in p‐type dye‐sensitized solar cells (p‐DSSCs). Dye PRotaxane features 1,5‐dioxynaphthalene recognition sites (DNP‐arms) with a mechanically‐interlocked macrocyclic redox mediator naphthalene diimide macrocycle (3‐NDI‐ring), stoppering synthetically via click chemistry. The control molecule PStopper has stoppered DNP‐arms, preventing rotaxane formation with the 3‐NDI‐ring. Transient absorption and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy studies show ultrafast (211 ± 7 fs and 2.92 ± 0.05 ps) PET from the dye‐moiety of PRotaxane to its mechanically interlocked 3‐NDI‐ring‐acceptor, slowing down the electron–hole recombination on NiO surfaces compared to the analogue. p‐DSSCs employing PRotaxane (PCE = 0.07%) demonstrate a 30% PCE increase compared to PStopper (PCE = 0.05%) devices, combining enhancements in both open‐circuit voltages (VOC = 0.43 vs 0.36 V) and short‐circuit photocurrent density (JSC = −0.39 vs −0.34 mA cm−2). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows that PRotaxane devices exhibit hole lifetimes (τh) approaching 1 s, a 16‐fold improvement compared to traditional I−/I3−‐based systems (τh = 50 ms), demonstrating the benefits obtained upon nanoengineering of interfacial dye‐regeneration at the photocathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports a dye‐sensitized photoelectrochemical cell (DSPEC) that couples redox‐mediated light‐driven oxidative organic transformations to reductive hydrogen (H2) formation. The DSPEC photoanode consists of a mesoporous anatase TiO2 film on FTO (fluorine‐doped tin oxide), sensitized with the thienopyrroledione‐based dye AP11, while H2 was formed at a FTO‐Pt cathode. Irradiation of the dye‐sensitized photoanode transforms 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine 1‐oxyl (TEMPO) to the oxidized TEMPO (TEMPO+), which acts as a chemical oxidant for the conversion of benzyl alcohol. The TEMPO0/+ couple, previously used as redox mediator in DSSC, mediates efficient electron transfer from the organic substrate to the photo‐oxidized dye. A DSPEC photoreactor was designed that allows in situ monitoring the reaction progress by infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography. Sustained light‐driven oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde within the DSPEC photoreactor, using of TEMPO as mediator, demonstrated the efficiency of the device, with a photocurrent of 0.4 mA cm−2, approaching quantitative Faradaic efficiency and exhibiting excellent device stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]