Photoswitches and photochemical reactions for optically controlled phase transition and energy storage

Abstract

Molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage materials enable the storage of photon energy within their chemical bonds and the release through external stimulation. Despite the discovery of various molecular systems that enable MOST energy storage, the intrinsic limitation of the low energy-storage density in common MOST compounds restricts their applications in the real world. To counter this limitation, methods have been implemented to increase the total energy storage capacity of the system through harnessing phase change energy involved in the energy storage and release processes. In this perspective, we highlight the recent advances to the designs of phase transition MOST energy storage compounds, the challenges of current designs, and the future directions.