Chasing the rainbow: Exploiting photosensitizers to drive photoisomerization reactions
Review article, 2023

Photoswitchable molecules have garnered considerable attention for their versatility and diverse applications, spanning from solar energy harvesting and storage to drug delivery and molecular motors. The chemical conversions that make photoswitches a desirable system are driven by specific wavelengths of light, which often demand intricate molecular modifications. An alternative approach to achieve the photoisomerization reaction is through energy transfer with photosensitizers. Photosensitizers play a pivotal role in various light-induced processes and have demonstrated successful applications in photodynamic therapy, dye-sensitized solar cells, and activating photochemical reactions. Therefore, combining photoswitching systems with sensitizers presents an attractive alternative for advancing light-responsive material design and enabling innovative light-controlled technologies. This review summarizes the energy transfer mechanisms and strategies involved in sensitized molecular photoswitchable systems, emphasizing the performance of various combined systems, and potential applications. Furthermore, recent advances and emerging trends in this field are also discussed, offering insights into prospective future directions for the development of light-responsive materials.

Azobenzene

Norbornadiene

photosensitizers

photoisomerization

Diarylethene

Author

Zhihang Wang

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

University of Cambridge

Lorette Fernandez

Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)

Muhammad Adil Salman Aslam

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Lidiya Musherefa Muhammad

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Monika Shamsabadi

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Kasper Moth-Poulsen

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies

Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)

Polytechnic University of Catalonia

Responsive Materials

2834-8966 (ISSN) 2834-8966 (eISSN)

Vol. 1 2

Areas of Advance

Energy

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Energy Systems

DOI

10.1002/rpm.20230012

More information

Latest update

7/4/2024 1