Two-way photoswitching norbornadiene derivatives for solar energy storage
Journal article, 2024

Molecular photoswitches of norbornadiene (NBD) derivatives have been effectively applied in molecular solar-thermal energy storage (MOST) by photoisomerization of NBD to a quadricyclane (QC) state. However, a challenge of the NBD-based MOST system is the lack of a reversible two-way photoswitching process, limiting conversion from QC to thermal and catalytic methods. Here we design a series of NBD derivatives with a combination of acceptor and donor units to achieve two-way photoswitching, which can optically release energy by back-conversion from QC to NBD. Highly efficient photoconversion yields from NBD to QC and QC to NBD are up to 99% and 82%, respectively. The energy storage density of two-way photoswitching NBD is up to 312 J g−1 and optically controlled two-way photoswitching devices are demonstrated for the first time both in flow and in thin films, which illustrate a promising approach for fast and robust energy release in both solution and solid state.

Author

Liang Fei

Jiangnan University

Helen Hölzel

Polytechnic University of Catalonia

Zhihang Wang

University of Derby

Andreas Erbs Hillers-Bendtsen

University of Copenhagen

Muhammad Adil Salman Aslam

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Monika Shamsabadi

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Jialing Tan

Jiangnan University

Kurt V. Mikkelsen

University of Copenhagen

Chaoxia Wang

Jiangnan University

Kasper Moth-Poulsen

Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)

Polytechnic University of Catalonia

Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Chemical Science

2041-6520 (ISSN) 2041-6539 (eISSN)

Vol. In Press

Molecular Solar Thermal energy storage systems (MOST)

Swedish Energy Agency (2019-010724), 2019-05-07 -- 2019-09-03.

European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/951801), 2020-09-01 -- 2024-02-29.

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Other Physics Topics

Energy Systems

DOI

10.1039/d4sc04247f

More information

Latest update

11/4/2024