Searching the Chemical Space of Bicyclic Dienes for Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage Candidates

Novel route to enhance the thermo-optical performance of bicyclic diene photoswitches for solar thermal batteries

Harnessing solar energy by employing chemical photoswitches in molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage systems is a topic of appealing research interest. However, incorporating all the features desired for an ideal MOST system in a single photoswitching couple is challenging. Inspired by experimental synthesis, herein we report our attempt to enhance both the thermochemical and photophysical properties in a single-bridged bicyclic diene (BBD)-based photoswitch by elongating the unsaturated bridge with different heteroatomic units. To elucidate the best elongation unit, the energy storage capacity and the TBR barriers were accounted using the DLPNO-CCSD(T) and (8,8)-CASPT2 methods, respectively. The photophysical properties including the absorption onset, excitation wavelengths, and the absorption intensities were extensively investigated with the time-dependent calculations. The result provides information on the most versatile solvent to exhibit the best photoswitching behaviour which is beneficial for real-life energy storage applications. Additionally, the stability and reversibility of the photoswitching system with elongated unsaturated bridges have also been assessed. By means of the studied modification, the storage energy of 158.57 kJ/mol, energy storage density of 1.48 MJ/kg, TBR barrier of 136.36 kJ/mol, and the absorption onset of 305.00 nm is achieved in acetonitrile. These values are substantially higher when compared with the storage energy (96.06 kJ/mol), energy storage density (1.04 MJ/kg), and TBR barrier (121.76 kJ/mol) of prototype NBD/QC in the gas phase. The outcomes render useful insights into the stability and properties of bicyclic diene-based photoswitches having elongated unsaturated bridges and indeed paves the way for the rational design of practical MOST systems.

Photochemical formation of the elusive Dewar isomers of aromatic systems: why are substituted azaborines different?

Photochemical reactions enabling efficient transformation of aromatic systems into energetic but stable non-aromatic isomers have a long history in organic chemistry. One recently discovered reaction in this realm is that where derivatives of 1,2-azaborine, a compound isoelectronic with benzene in which two adjacent C atoms are replaced by B and N atoms, form the non-hexagon Dewar isomer. Here, we report quantum-chemical calculations that explain both why 1,2-azaborine is intrinsically more reactive toward Dewar formation than benzene, and how suitable substitutions at the B and N atoms are able to increase the corresponding quantum yield. We find that Dewar formation from 1,2-azaborine is favored by a pronounced driving force that benzene lacks, and that a large improvement in quantum yield arises when the reaction of substituted 1,2-azaborines proceeds without involvement of an intermediary ground-state species. Overall, we report new insights into making photochemical use of the Dewar isomers of aromatic compounds.

Spatiotemporal Utilization of Latent Heat in Erythritol-based Phase Change Materials as Solar Thermal Fuels

Solar thermal fuels (STFs) have been particularly concerned as sustainable future energy due to their impressive ability to store solar energy in chemical bonds and controllably release thermal energy. However, currently studied STFs mainly focus on molecule-based materials with high photochemical activity, toxicity, and compromised features, which greatly restricts their applications in practical scenarios of solar energy utilization. Herein, we present a novel erythritol-based composite phase change material (PCM) as a new type of STFs with an outstanding capability to store solar energy as latent heat in its stable supercooling state and release thermal energy as needed. This composite PCM with stored thermal energy can be maintained stably at room temperature and subsequently release latent heat as high as 224.9 J/g during the crystallization process triggered by thermal stimuli. Remarkably, solar energy can be converted into latent heat stored in the composite PCM over months. Through mechanical stimulations, the released latent heat can increase the temperature of the composite up to 91 °C. This work presents a new concept of using spatiotemporal storage and release of latent heat in PCMs for solar energy utilization, making it a potential candidate as STFs for developing future clean energy techniques.

Multichromophoric photoswitches for solar energy storage: from azobenzene to norbornadiene, and MOST things in between

The ever-increasing global demands for energy supply and storage have led to numerous research efforts into finding and developing renewable energy technologies. Molecular solar thermal energy storage (MOST) systems utilise molecular photoswitches that can be isomerized to a metastable high-energy state upon solar irradiation. These high-energy isomers can then be thermally or catalytically converted back to their original state, releasing the stored energy as heat on-demand, offering a means of emission-free energy storage from a closed system, often from only organic materials. In this context, multichromophoric systems which incorporate two or more photochromic units may offer additional functionality over monosubstituted analogues, due to their potential to access multiple states as well as having more attractive physical properties. The extended conjugation offered by these systems can lead to a red shift in the absorption profile and hence a better overlap with the solar spectrum. Additionally, the multichromophoric design may lead to increased energy storage densities due to some of the molecular weight being 'shared' across several energy storage units. This review provides an overview and analysis of multichromophoric photoswitches incorporating the norbornadiene/quadricyclane (NBD/QC) couple, azobenzene (AZB), dihydroazulene (DHA) and diarylethene (DAE) systems, in the context of energy storage applications. Mixed systems, where two or more different chromophores are linked together in one molecule, are also discussed, as well as limitations such as the loss of photochromism due to inner filter effects or self-quenching, and how these challenges may be overcome in future designs of multichromophoric systems.