Manipulation of photoresponsive liquid-crystalline polymers and their applications: from nanoscale to macroscale
We summarize the molecular design of photoresponsive liquid-crystalline polymers, manipulation at multiple scales and various applications based on their intrinsic properties, providing an opportunity for future development in this field.
Optimizing the performance of phase-change azobenzene: from trial and error to machine learning
Machine learning can predict the properties of phase change azobenzene derivatives and guide molecular design to further improve their photothermal conversion performance.
Review Article
Multichromophoric photoswitches for solar energy storage: from azobenzene to norbornadiene, and MOST things in between
In the context of energy storage, multichromophoric systems may offer additional functionality over monosubstituted analogues due to their potential to access multiple states as well as having more attractive physical properties.
Communication
Exploring ortho-dianthrylbenzenes for molecular solar thermal energy storage
Aiming to explore anthracene-based systems for molecular solar thermal energy storage, five ortho-dianthrylbenzenes were designed, demonstrating promising properties for future development of anthracene-based photoswitches for such applications.
Paper
Molecular insights into solid-state photochromism in bulk and confined N-salicylidenes
The structural basis for solid-state photochromism is uncovered for a model set of N-salicylidenes. Occlusion within a metal–organic frameworks imparts photochromic properties to N-salicylidenes that are non-photochromic in the bulk crystalline state.
Ultra-wide temperature cycle control based on photo-responsive phase change
BN–PVA/Azo-OCn composite aerogels achieve relatively constant temperatures with low-temperature heat release and high-temperature heat absorption over an ultra-wide temperature range (−20 °C to 80 °C).
Sunlight driven E–Z isomerization of liquid crystals based on hexahydroxytriphenylene nano-templates for enhanced solid-state solar thermal energy storage
Visible-light responsive liquid crystals based on hexahydroxytriphenylene nano-templates exhibiting efficient sunlight charging of up to 80% and a high heat release of ≈9 °C on discharging.
Paper
Elucidating the mechanism of solid-state energy release from dianthracenes via auto-catalyzed cycloreversion
A mechanistic investigation of molecular solar thermal energy release by solid-state cycloreversion of dianthracenes to anthracenes reveals the integral roles of chemical and physical transformations of molecules towards the total energy release.
Visible light activated dendrimers for solar thermal energy storage and release below 0 °C
Molecular solar thermal (MOST) fuels offer a closed-cycle and renewable energy storage strategy that can harvest photons within the chemical conformations and release heat on demand through reversible isomerization of molecular photoswitches.
Phase-pure Ruddlesden–Popper tin halide perovskites for solar energy conversion applications
Solvophobic engineering strategy promotes the self-assembly of fluorinated cations into micelles, which changes the crystallization mode and thus leads to the formation of phase-pure Ruddlesden–Popper tin halide perovskites.
About this collection
The necessity to harvest and store energy is one of the greatest challenges of today. The sun represents in this respect the ultimate energy source on earth. The utilization of light as energy input is therefore highly desirable. Molecular photoswitches do exactly that, as they can be switched between two states. Such processes have great potential in energy storage. This special issue celebrates results in all areas covering molecular photoswitches in the broadest sense for energy storage.
This Journal of Materials Chemistry A and Journal of Materials Chemistry C themed collection is Guest Edited by Professor Rachel Evans (0000-0003-2956-4857, University of Cambridge, UK), Professor Grace Han (0000-0002-2918-1584, Brandeis University, USA), Professor Tao Li (0000-0002-2410-0175, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China) and Professor Dr Hermann A. Wegner (0000-0001-7260-6018, Justus-Liebig Universität, Germany). We hope that this collection will give readers an overview of some of the most recent work concerning molecular photoswitches for energy storage and will help to promote exciting research in the field.