Molecular solar thermal energy storage in photoswitch oligomers increases energy densities and storage times.

ABSTRACT: Molecular photoswitches can be used for solar thermal energy storage by photoisomerization into high-energy, meta-stable isomers; we present a molecular design strategy leading to photoswitches with high energy densities and long storage times. High measured energy densities of up to 559 kJ kg-1 (155 Wh kg-1), long storage lifetimes up to 48.5 days, and high quantum yields of conversion of up to 94% per subunit are demonstrated in norbornadiene/quadricyclane (NBD/QC) photo-/thermoswitch couples incorporated into dimeric and trimeric structures. By changing the linker unit between the NBD units, we can at the same time fine-tune light-harvesting and energy densities of the dimers and trimers so that they exceed those of their monomeric analogs. These new oligomers thereby meet several of th

SUBMITTER: Manso M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5956078 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature