Tunable Energy Release in a Reversible Molecular Solar Thermal System
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2022
Molecular solar thermal (MOST) systems open application fields for solar energy conversion as they combine conversion, storage, and release in one single molecule. For energy release, catalysts must be controllable, selective, and stable over many operation cycles. Here, we present a MOST/catalyst couple, which combines all these properties. We explore solar energy storage in a tailor-made MOST system (cyano-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-norbornadiene/quadricyclane; NBD′/QC′) and the energy release heterogeneously catalyzed at a Au(111) surface. By photoelectrochemical infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PEC-IRRAS) and scanning tunneling microscopy, we show that Au triggers the energy release with very high activity. Most remarkably, the release rate of the heterogeneously catalyzed process can be tuned by applying an external potential. Our durability tests show that the MOST/catalyst system is stable over 1000 storage cycles without any decomposition. The surface structure of the catalyst is preserved, and its activity decreases by only 0.1% per storage cycle.
solar thermal fuels
energy storage
photoswitches
heterogeneous catalysis
norbornadiene
quadricyclane
gold
Författare
Evanie Franz
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nurnberg (FAU)
Corinna Stumm
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nurnberg (FAU)
Fabian Waidhas
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nurnberg (FAU)
Manon Bertram
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nurnberg (FAU)
Martyn Jevric
Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi
Jessica Orrego Hernandez
Teknisk ytkemi
Helen Hölzel
Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi
Kasper Moth-Poulsen
Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC)
Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats
Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi
Olaf Brummel
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nurnberg (FAU)
Jörg Libuda
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nurnberg (FAU)
ACS Catalysis
21555435 (eISSN)
Vol. 12 13418-13425Ämneskategorier
Kemiska processer
Annan kemi
Energisystem
DOI
10.1021/acscatal.2c03043