Photoswitchable Zirconium MOF for Light-Driven Hydrogen Storage

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 13; no. 22; p. 4052
• Main Authors: Butova, Vera V., Burachevskaya, Olga A., Podshibyakin, Vitaly A., Shepelenko, Evgenii N., Tereshchenko, Andrei A., Shapovalova, Svetlana O., Il’in, Oleg I., Bren’, Vladimir A., Soldatov, Alexander V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 22-11-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Adsorption; Diketones; Hydrogen storage; Infrared spectroscopy; Lasers; Light; Light irradiation; Metal-organic frameworks; Photosensitivity; Porous materials; Spectrum analysis; Ultraviolet radiation; Zirconium
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym13224052

Here, we report a new photosensitive metal–organic framework (MOF) that was constructed via the modification of UiO-66-NH2 with diarylethene molecules (DAE, 4-(5-Methoxy-1,2-dimethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-3-(2,5-dimethylthiophen-3-yl)-4-furan-2,5-dione). The material that was obtained was a highly crystalline porous compound. The photoresponse of the modified MOF was observed via UV–Vis and IR spectroscopy. Most of the DAE molecules inside of the UiO-66-pores had an open conformation after synthesis. However, the equilibrium was able to be shifted further toward an open conformation using visible light irradiation with a wavelength of 520 nm. Conversely, UV-light with a wavelength of 450 nm initiated the transformation of the photoresponsive moieties inside of the pores to a closed modification. We have shown that this transformation could be used to stimulate hydrogen adsorption–desorption processes. Specifically, visible light irradiation increased the H2 capacity of modified MOF, while UV-light decreased it. A similar hybrid material with DAE moieties in the UiO-66 scaffold was applied for hydrogen storage for the first time. Additionally, the obtained results are promising for smart H2 storage that is able to be managed via light stimuli.