Photoswitches were developed a few years ago but needed to be activated by UV light. New research removes this requirement and makes them more efficient.
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the University of Siegen in Germany have developed a novel approach that enables efficient solar energy storage in specialized molecules or photoswitches. This energy can later be released as heat on demand, approaching more suited for heating applications.
With the world keen on switching to cleaner energy sources, we are seeing an uptick in solar and wind farm installations. But these can only supply electricity. According to the International Energy Agency ‘s estimates, 50 percent of global energy consumption is spent on heating needs. Researchers at the University of Siegen first developed photoswitches a few years ago as a better alternative to storing solar energy in lithium-ion batteries.
Recent research in this area by Siegen and JGU researchers overcame this shortcoming by allowing solar energy to be harnessed indirectly as well, much like in. This was achieved by incorporating a compound called the “sensitizer,” which increased solar energy storage efficiency by more than an order of magnitude.
A team of researchers led by Kerzig used spectroscopy to understand photoswitches’ complex workings and the mechanism involved in each step. Till Zähringer, a PhD student in Kerzig’s lab, played an important role in the study, explored the system in great detail, and helped achieve more than harvesting with indirect light.
Energy Storage Science Solar Energy
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