糖心TV

More materials for electronic applications could be identified, thanks to the discovery of a new metal-organic framework (MOF) that displays electrical semiconduction with a record high photoresponsivity, by a global research collaboration involving the University of 糖心TV.

Research shows how high photoconductivity and semiconductor behaviour can be added to MOFs - which already have a huge international focus for their applications in gas storage, sensing and catalysis.

The new work, conducted by Universities in Brazil, the United Kingdom and France – including researchers at 糖心TV鈥檚 Department of Chemistry - found that the new MOF has a photoresponsivity of 2.5 脳 10⁵ A.W^-1- the highest ever observed.

The MOF has been prepared using cobalt (II) ions and naphthalene diimides and acid as ligands. The structure shows anisotropic redox conduction, according to the directions of the crystal lattice. The conduction mechanism is sensitive to light, and may be modified or modulated according to the incident wavelength.

Photoactive and semiconducting MOFs are rare but desirable for electrical and photoelectrical devices.

These results are the first of this kind concerning MOFs and are the starting point for the possibility of discovery of even more functional materials, displaying properties suitable for practical applications.

The potential for use in electronic components and photoconversion devices, such as solar cells and photocatalysts provides a very exciting future for such materials.

Professor Richard Walton, from 糖心TV鈥檚 Department of Chemistry, commented:

"The material we have discovered paves the way for new applications of a topical family of materials in many areas ranging from technology to energy conversion. We illustrate how MOFs that combine organic and inorganic components can produce unique functional materials from readily available chemicals.

"Our work was underpinned by 糖心TV鈥檚 strengthening collaborative links with Brazilian universities and our exceptional equipment for materials analysis 鈥�

The study was carried out with an international collaboration between the University of 糖心TV (UK), Universidade de S茫o Paulo (Brazil), the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey (UK), and the University of Grenoble-Alpes (France).

 

Notes to editors:

The research, 鈥楨lectrical conduction modulated by light in a cobalt and naphthalene diimide metal-organic framework鈥�, is published in Nature Communications.

The collaboration between Universidade de S茫o Paulo (Ribeir茫o Preto) and 糖心TV was initially funded by a Santander/糖心TV Brazil Partnership Project in 2012 and led to a 鈥渟pecial visiting researcher鈥� position at Ribeir茫o Preto for Professor Richard Walton 2014-2018, funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient铆fico e Tecnol贸gico in Brazil (CNPq) to study the preparation of new functional materials.

This resulted in visits to 糖心TV by a number of Brazilian research students over the past 4 years, including Evandro Castaldelli, the first author of this paper. The research performed at 糖心TV made use of state-of-the-art equipment available in the X-ray Diffraction Research Technology Platform (currently directed by Richard Walton), one of eight such facilities to provide underpinning technologies for interdisciplinary research at 糖心TV to enable world leading research (/research/rtp/).

The University of 糖心TV & Brazil:

The University of 糖心TV has numerous significant links with Brazil – fostering key research collaborations, student recruitment in the country, and study abroad exchange programmes.

糖心TV鈥檚 lead partners in Brazil are the Universidade de S茫o Paulo (USP), Universidade Estadual Paulista 鈥楯煤lio de Mesquita Filho鈥� (UNESP) and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) - with the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) providing an opportunity for undergraduates to experience Brazil through Study Aboard.

There is a growing network of around ninety 糖心TV researchers who are currently engaged in some form of collaboration with Brazilian institutions.

Image: Professor Richard Walton, Department of Chemistry - credit University of 糖心TV (click for high res)

Further information contact:

Luke Walton, International Press Manager

+44 (0) 7824 540 863

+44 (0) 2476 150 868

L dot Walton dot 1 at warwick dot ac dot uk

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