High-energy, stable and recycled molecular solar thermal storage materials using AZO/graphene hybrids by optimizing hydrogen bonds

An important method for establishing a high-energy, stable and recycled molecular solar heat system is by designing and preparing novel photo-isomerizable molecules with a high enthalpy and a long thermal life by controlling molecular interactions. A meta- and ortho-bis-substituted azobenzene chromo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanoscale 2015-01, Vol.7 (39), p.16214-16221
Main Authors: Luo, Wen, Feng, Yiyu, Qin, Chengqun, Li, Man, Li, Shipei, Cao, Chen, Long, Peng, Liu, Enzuo, Hu, Wenping, Yoshino, Katsumi, Feng, Wei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Azo
Grafting
Graphene
Hydrogen bonds
Molecular interactions
Nanostructure
Recycled
Solar heating
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Summary:An important method for establishing a high-energy, stable and recycled molecular solar heat system is by designing and preparing novel photo-isomerizable molecules with a high enthalpy and a long thermal life by controlling molecular interactions. A meta- and ortho-bis-substituted azobenzene chromophore (AZO) is covalently grafted onto reduced graphene oxide (RGO) for solar thermal storage materials. High grafting degree and close-packed molecules enable intermolecular hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) for both trans-(E) and cis-(Z) isomers of AZO on the surface of nanosheets, resulting in a dramatic increase in enthalpy and lifetime. The metastable Z-form of AZO on RGO is thermally stabilized with a half-life of 52 days by steric hindrance and intermolecular H-bonds calculated using density functional theory (DFT). The AZO-RGO fuel shows a high storage capacity of 138 Wh kg(-1) by optimizing intermolecular H-bonds with a good cycling stability for 50 cycles induced by visible light at 520 nm. Our work opens up a new method for making advanced molecular solar thermal storage materials by tuning molecular interactions on a nano-template.
ISSN:2040-3364
2040-3372
DOI:10.1039/c5nr03558a