Unconventional Modulation of Diarylethene Photoswitches
Licentiate thesis, 2022

Light can be manipulated and modulated to fit a particular need or application, such as overcoming a spectral mismatch when facilitating a high energy photochemical reaction. This can be of use in various applications, including solar energy conversion and biological contexts. Photochromic molecules, or molecular photoswitches, undergo photoisomerization reactions when subjected to light of different wavelengths, which can be tracked in situ by spectroscopic techniques such as UV-vis absorption and fluorescence. In this thesis, the photoisomerization and fluorescence of diarylethene photoswitches are modulated by three unconventional methods. The methods are unconventional in the sense that the photochemical processes are not induced by direct excitation. Instead, the photochemistry in the three included papers is respectively facilitated by rapid modulation of light that is not absorbed by the fluorescent isomer, triplet sensitization using hybrids of nanocrystals and organic mediators, or triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion. While further improvements are needed for these methods to reach their full potential, the findings in this thesis brings us closer to visible-light control of high energy photochemical transformations.

photochemistry

diarylethene

photochromic molecules

nanocrystals

triplet sensitization

triplet-triplet annihilation

molecular photoswitches

photon upconversion

10:an
Opponent: Rasmus Ringström, PhD-student, Department of chemistry and chemical engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden and Deise Fernanda Barbosa de Mattos, Department of chemistry and chemical engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Author

Wera Larsson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Subject Categories

Physical Chemistry

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Chemical Sciences

Publisher

Chalmers

10:an

Opponent: Rasmus Ringström, PhD-student, Department of chemistry and chemical engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden and Deise Fernanda Barbosa de Mattos, Department of chemistry and chemical engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

More information

Latest update

7/1/2024 9