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
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies
Chemical Science
2041-6520 (ISSN) 2041-6539 (eISSN)
Vol. 15 43 18179-18186Molecular Solar Thermal energy storage systems (MOST)
European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/951801), 2020-09-01 -- 2024-02-29.
Swedish Energy Agency (2019-010724), 2019-05-07 -- 2019-09-03.
Driving Forces
Sustainable development
Subject Categories
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Other Physics Topics
Energy Systems
DOI
10.1039/d4sc04247f