Photothermal energy storage materials

Development of renewable energy technologies has been a significant area of research amongst scientists with the aim of attaining a sustainable world society. Solar thermal fuels that can capture, convert, store, and release solar energy in the form of heat through reversible photoisomerization of molecular photoswitches such as azobenzene derivatives are currently in the limelight of research. We focus on the research of azobenzene and its derivatives, including the design of molecular structures, improving or reducing energy barriers, thereby controlling the energy density or energy storage density and extending energy storage time, so that they can be effectively applied to real life.