Intermolecular London Dispersion Interactions of Azobenzene Switches for Tuning Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage Systems

• The performance of molecular solar thermal energy storage systems (MOST) depends amongst others on the amount of energy stored. Azobenzenes have been investigated as high-potential materials for MOST applications. In the present study it could be shown that intermolecular attractive London dispersion interactions stabilize the (E)-isomer in bisazobenzene that is linked by different alkyl bridges. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements revealed, that this interaction leads to an increased storage energy per azo-unit of more than 3 kcal/mol compared to the parent azobenzene. The origin of this effect has been supported by computation as well as X-ray analysis. In the solid state structure attractive London dispersion interactions between the C−H of the alkyl bridge and the π-system of the azobenzene could be clearly assigned. This concept will be highly useful in designing more effective MOST systems in the future.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik -- Övrig annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies -- Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Annan fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Other Physics Topics (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik -- Energisystem (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering -- Energy Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

noncovalent interactions

azobenzene

molecular switches

thermal energy storage

London dispersions

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