Panchromatic photochromic push-pull dyes featuring a ferrocene donor group
Diego Mirani1, Antonio J Riquelme1, Samuel Fauvel1
1Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Gre-INP, IRIG-SyMMES 38000 Grenoble France renaud.demadrille@cea.fr.
Materials Chemistry Frontiers
|August 18, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed new photochromic dyes with broad, panchromatic absorption by incorporating ferrocene into diphenyl-naphthopyran structures. These novel dyes enable neutral coloration for applications like smart windows and function as photosensitizers in solar cells.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Chemistry
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Photochromic molecules undergo reversible structural changes upon light exposure, enabling applications in smart materials and optical devices.
- Diphenyl-naphthopyrans offer tunable properties but are limited by narrow visible spectrum absorption, hindering neutral coloration applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer novel photochromic dyes with wide, panchromatic absorption for improved coloration.
- To investigate structural modifications for enhanced optical and photochromic properties.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized five new push-pull photochromic dyes by replacing phenyl units with ferrocene and adding acceptor groups.
- Characterized optical, electrochemical, and photochromic properties in solution and solid states.
- Grafted dyes onto metal oxide surfaces and dispersed them in polymer matrices.
Main Results:
- Achieved novel push-pull photochromic dyes with broad, panchromatic absorption.
- Demonstrated effective production of panchromatic photochromic coatings.
- Identified compounds acting as efficient photosensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).
Conclusions:
- Structural modification of diphenyl-naphthopyrans with ferrocene and acceptor groups yields dyes with wide absorption spectra.
- These novel dyes are suitable for panchromatic photochromic coatings and have potential in energy applications like DSSCs.
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