Molecular Preorganization Unlocks Reversible Solid-State Photoconversion in Dianthrylnaphthalene-Based Molecular Solar Thermal Systems
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2026
Molecular solar thermal (MOST) systems capable of harnessing sunlight, storing it as chemical energy in the form of a photoisomer, and releasing it as thermal energy on demand represent a promising strategy for renewable solar energy utilization both in liquid-based devices and the solid state. However, the implementation of MOST materials in the solid state is limited by restricted molecular motion in the condensed phase, which hampers the geometrical requirements for photoisomerization, as well as by inner filter effects which can prevent quantitative photoconversion or necessitate long irradiation times. To address these challenges, three dianthrylnaphthalenes were designed to pre-organize two anthracene moieties in a face-to-face geometry favorable for intramolecular photodimerization. This molecular design increased the forward photoisomerization quantum yield compared to ortho-dianthrylbenzenes, reaching 32%, while enabling solid-state switching. In particular, the acenaphthene-linked derivative underwent quantitative conversion to its higher-energy photoisomer in both thin films and bulk crystalline powders. Electron diffraction analysis revealed elongated newly formed C─C bonds in the photoisomer, with refined lengths of 1.81(2) and 1.63(2) Å, exceeding the generally observed length of a Csp3─Csp3 bond. These results demonstrate how molecular preorganization can overcome limitations of anthracene-based MOST systems and expand their potential for solid-state solar energy storage applications.
anthracene
solar energy storage
photoswitches
solid–solid photoconversion
thermal energy release
Författare
Nicolò Baggi
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Université Paris Cité
Lidiya Musherefa Muhammad
Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi
Helen Hölzel
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Liang Fei
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Rebecca J. Salthouse
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Mariusz Kubus
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU)
Sarah Plutzar
RMIT University
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Magnus Bukhave Johansen
Köpenhamns universitet
Kurt V. Mikkelsen
Köpenhamns universitet
Kasper S. Pedersen
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU)
Kasper Moth-Poulsen
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Kemi och biokemi
Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Angewandte Chemie
14337851 (ISSN) 15213773 (eISSN)
Vol. In PressÄmneskategorier (SSIF 2025)
Teoretisk kemi
Energisystem
Fysikalisk kemi
DOI
10.1002/anie.1015605