Description | Bridging energy conversion and storage in two-dimensional molecular frameworks The energy challenge facing our global society is, in its very essence, a materials challenge. This is because primary sources of sustainable energy abound, while their conversion into usable forms of energy such as fuels or electricity is limited by the efficiency of absorbers, catalysts, or simply by the thermodynamics and kinetics of (electro)chemical conversions occurring between a given set of materials. Progress in energy science is therefore contingent on new materials solutions that have the potential to lead to disruptive changes in the conversion, storage, or utilization of energy. In this talk, I will highlight our efforts at designing carbon-based energy materials with molecular-level precision in order to understand and control energy conversion processes at the intersection between photocatalysis and electrochemical energy storage. Due to their earth-abundance and low cost, carbon-based materials have become the backbone of a variety of sustainable energy technologies ranging from photovoltaics to supercapacitors. We will first introduce organic frameworks such as carbon nitrides and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as molecularly precise, crystalline and porous solids that have the potential to put a new spin on the development of well-defined and robust metal-free semiconductors for photocatalysis. We will then explore the rich interface between optoelectronic and optoionic properties in poly(heptazine imide)-type carbon nitrides (PHI), which represent a new generation of “light storing” materials. The intricate interplay between light harvesting and charge storage in PHI will be exemplified by the concepts of “dark photocatalysis” and direct solar batteries. Finally, the design of light-driven microswimmers with photocapacitive properties will be showcased, which build a bridge between energy converting and autonomous systems. |
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