Solar energy storage at an atomically defined organic-oxide hybrid interface
Journal article, 2019

Molecular photoswitches provide an extremely simple solution for solar energy conversion and storage. To convert stored energy to electricity, however, the photoswitch has to be coupled to a semiconducting electrode. In this work, we report on the assembly of an operational solar-energy-storing organic-oxide hybrid interface, which consists of a tailor-made molecular photoswitch and an atomically-defined semiconducting oxide film. The synthesized norbornadiene derivative 2-cyano-3-(4-carboxyphenyl)norbornadiene (CNBD) was anchored to a well-ordered Co3O4(111) surface by physical vapor deposition in ultrahigh vacuum. Using a photochemical infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy experiment, we demonstrate that the anchored CNBD monolayer remains operational, i.e., can be photo-converted to its energy-rich counterpart 2-cyano-3-(4-carboxyphenyl)quadricyclane (CQC). We show that the activation barrier for energy release remains unaffected by the anchoring reaction and the anchored photoswitch can be charged and discharged with high reversibility. Our atomically-defined solar-energy-storing model interface enables detailed studies of energy conversion processes at organic/oxide hybrid interfaces.

Author

Christian Schuschke

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Chantal Hohner

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Martyn Jevric

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Anne Petersen

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Zhihang Wang

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Matthias Schwarz

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Miroslav Kettner

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Fabian Waidhas

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Lukas Fromm

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Christopher Sumby

University of Adelaide

Andreas Görling

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Olaf Brummel

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Kasper Moth-Poulsen

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

J. Libuda

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

Nature Communications

2041-1723 (ISSN) 20411723 (eISSN)

Vol. 10 1 2384

Subject Categories

Inorganic Chemistry

Physical Chemistry

Theoretical Chemistry

DOI

10.1038/s41467-019-10263-4

More information

Latest update

7/12/2019