Defect Driven Opto-Critical Phases Tuned for All-Solar Utilization

Materials imbued with uniformly dispersed, photo-responsive nanoparticles are instrumental in sustainable energy and photonic applications. Conventional methods, however, constrain their all-solar response. An innovative alternative is proposed: submerged photo-synthesis of crystallites (SPsC). It is shown that strategic doping with copper and oxygen vacancies can induce opto-critical phases from the nonstoichiometric tungstic acids (WO₃ ·H₂ O). These opto-critical phases enable a dynamic equilibrium shift in lattice defect stabilization, facilitating an unprecedented a whole solar wavelength response. This response manifests as photothermal, photo-assisted water evaporation, and photo-electrochemical characteristics. Harnessing all-solar energy, this one-pot SPsC strategy may steer the design and development of advanced oxide materials, enhancing functionality across diverse application domains.