Materials capable of adaptation based on external stimulus have recently attracted attention in the advancing technology sector due to their dynamic behaviors. Modulated by temperature, pressure, pH, applied voltage, or light; chromic materials are useful in the development of "smart" windows, self-healing coatings, controlled drug delivery systems, and optoelectronic device components. We have recently reported several examples of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) applied as a tool to study fundamental changes in photophysical and electronic properties of photochromic molecules.<br/>In this presentation, the use of spiropyran and diarylethene units to establish a correlation of changes in photophysical profile and electronic structure as a function of excitation wavelength in several scaffolds is highlighted. In particular, our findings of photoisomerization kinetics of photochromic molecules embedded in porous materials as well as the first studies on the electronic structure of photoresponsive heterometallic actinide-containing frameworks will be presented. A combination of UV-vis, diffuse reflectance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies along with <i>in situ</i> pressed-pellet and single-crystal conductivity measurements were performed to analyze the photoswitch-invoked control of materials properties. These findings illustrate the utilization of MOFs for the development of novel photochromic systems that opens a new avenue for optoelectronic applications.

Dynamic tailoring of photochromic metal-organic frameworks

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.