Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
08:42
Microfluidic-based Synthesis of Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs): A Tool for Continuous Production of COF Fibers and Direct Printing on a Surface
Published on: July 10, 2017
Programmable energy transfer in multivariate porphyrin-based 3D covalent organic frameworks.
Qinhui Ni1,2, Xiaohui Li3, Chao Zhu2
1College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China. ywpeng@zjut.edu.cn.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|June 23, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed novel 3D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for efficient energy transfer. These materials show promise for artificial photosynthesis and solar energy conversion applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Photochemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Efficient excited-state energy transfer (ET) is crucial for artificial photosynthesis and solar energy conversion.
- Conventional heterogeneous composites face challenges like nonradiative interfacial losses and limited structural precision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize novel materials for enhanced light harvesting and energy transfer.
- To overcome limitations of conventional composites in solar energy conversion.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of multivariate porphyrin-based 3D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with bcu topology.
- Integration of benzimidazole donor and benzoselenadiazole acceptor chromophores within a crystalline lattice.
- Spectroscopic analyses (steady-state and time-resolved) to study energy transfer dynamics.
Main Results:
- The synthesized TS-PCOF exhibited broadened visible-light absorption and significant donor-acceptor spectral overlap.
- Efficient intraframework energy transfer was observed on a sub-nanosecond timescale.
- Achieved an energy transfer efficiency of up to 23.8%.
Conclusions:
- Multivariate 3D COFs offer structurally precise platforms for programmable light harvesting.
- These materials enable directional energy migration, crucial for advanced photonic and solar-energy-conversion systems.
- Presents a promising strategy for developing next-generation solar energy technologies.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Electrocyclic reactions are reversible reactions. They involve an intramolecular cyclization or ring-opening of a conjugated polyene. Shown below are two examples of electrocyclic reactions. In the first reaction, the formation of the cyclic product is favored. In contrast, in the second reaction, ring-opening is favored due to the high ring strain associated with cyclobutene formation.
01:16Energy Transfer in Chemical Reactions
Chemical reactions require sufficient energy to cause the matter to collide with enough precision and force that old chemical bonds can be broken and new ones formed. In general, kinetic energy is the form of energy powering any type of matter in motion. Imagine a person building a brick wall. The energy it takes to lift and place one brick on top of another is the kinetic energy—the energy matter possesses because of its motion. Once the wall is in place, it stores potential energy. Potential...
01:37Energy to Drive Translocation
Mitochondrial protein import is powered by two distinct energy sources: ATP hydrolysis and electrochemical potential across the inner membrane. Newly synthesized precursors are bound by cytosolic chaperones of the Hsp70 family, which guide them to the import receptors on the mitochondrial surface. Utilizing the energy of ATP hydrolysis, Hsp70 chaperones transfer these precursors to the TOM receptors on the mitochondrial outer membrane.
Generally, polypeptides are unfolded by two distinct...
Generally, polypeptides are unfolded by two distinct...
01:26Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
The absorption of UV–visible light by conjugated systems causes the promotion of an electron from the ground state to the excited state. Consequently, photochemical electrocyclic reactions proceed via the excited-state HOMO rather than the ground-state HOMO. Since the ground- and excited-state HOMOs have different symmetries, the stereochemical outcome of electrocyclic reactions depends on the mode of activation; i.e., thermal or photochemical.
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
01:18Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview
Cycloheptatriene is a neutral monocyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon that consists of an odd number of carbon atoms and an intervening sp3 carbon in the ring. The three double bonds in the ring correspond to 6 π electrons, which is a Huckel number, and therefore satisfies the criteria of 4n + 2 π electrons. However, the intervening sp3 carbon disrupts the continuous overlap of p orbitals. As a result, cycloheptatriene is not aromatic.
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group with both...
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group with both...
01:58Cooperative Allosteric Transitions
Cooperative allosteric transitions can occur in multimeric proteins, where each subunit of the protein has its own ligand-binding site. When a ligand binds to any of these subunits, it triggers a conformational change that affects the binding sites in the other subunits; this can change the affinity of the other sites for their respective ligands. The ability of the protein to change the shape of its binding site is attributed to the presence of a mix of flexible and stable segments in the...