Citation: Xiao-Qian Wan, Ya-Ning Xu, Jian-Xin Yang, Dan Tian, Li-Long Dang, Feng Bai, Lu-Fang Ma. Structural optimization of organometallic cages for enhanced photothermal solar water evaporation[J]. Chinese Journal of Structural Chemistry, ;2025, 44(10): 100705. doi: 10.1016/j.cjsc.2025.100705 shu

Structural optimization of organometallic cages for enhanced photothermal solar water evaporation

The structural synthesis and property exploration of organometallic cages have always attracted widespread attention from chemists. Nevertheless, the achievement on photothermal property enhancement and their application in solar-driven water evaporation via structural modulation remain scarce. Here, four organometallic cages 1, 2, 3 and 4 with different functional sites are synthesized via reasonably selecting different building units E1, E2, E3 and E4 based on a tetradentate pyridyl ligand L1. These complexes are characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and ESI-TOF-MS analysis. Notably, they exhibit different near-infrared (NIR) photothermal conversion properties due to variations in their size, conjugated area, and electron-withdrawing characteristic of halogen atoms in building units. Compound 4 shows the optimal photothermal performance among this series, with notably enhanced near-infrared absorption and the highest photothermal conversion efficiency. The radical effect of the building unit plays an important role in photothermal conversion ability, as evidenced by the significant EPR signal changes. Therefore, compound 4 is used to construct new membrane 1′, achieving a solar power-induced water steam generation rate of 1.92 kg·m-2·h-1, demonstrating its suitability for the collection of fresh water through desalination and wastewater treatment. This research provides a new strategy for synthesizing and optimizing photothermal conversion property of half sandwich organometallic cages.
- Organometallic cage,
- Half-sandwich unit,
- Coordination-driven self-assembly,
- Photothermal conversion
1. [1]
  Ying Zhao , Yao He , Jian-Xin Yang , Wen-Jie Liu , Dan Tian , Francisco Aznarez , Le-Le Gong , Li-Long Dang , Lu-Fang Ma . Controllable self-assembly and photothermal conversion of metalla[2]catenanes induced by synergistic effect of free radicals and stacking interactions. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(12): 111460-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111460
2. [2]
  Xing-Cheng Hu , Qiu-Shui Mu , Shu-Jin Bao , Yan Zou , Xin-Yu Wang , Guo-Xin Jin . Ligand conformational adaptability modulated self-assembly of Solomon links (412) and trefoil knots (31). Chinese Journal of Structural Chemistry, 2025, 44(10): 100712-100712. doi: 10.1016/j.cjsc.2025.100712
3. [3]
  Jian-Rong Li , Jieying Hu , Lai-Hon Chung , Jilong Zhou , Parijat Borah , Zhiqing Lin , Yuan-Hui Zhong , Hua-Qun Zhou , Xianghua Yang , Zhengtao Xu , Jun He . Insight into stable, concentrated radicals from sulfur-functionalized alkyne-rich crystalline frameworks and application in solar-to-vapor conversion. Chinese Journal of Structural Chemistry, 2024, 43(8): 100380-100380. doi: 10.1016/j.cjsc.2024.100380
4. [4]
  Yan Li , Minmin Li , Fan Dong , Wen Cui . Multiscale "pore-film" cross-linked photothermal hygroscopic sponge for solar-driven atmospheric water harvesting. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2026, 37(2): 111203-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111203
5. [5]
  Jingjing Zhang , Fei Yang , Liying Zhang , Ran Li , Guo Wang , Yanqing Xu , Wei Wei . Stable radicals in bacteria composites hybridized by a doubly-strapped perylene diimide for near-infrared photothermal conversion. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(7): 110627-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110627
6. [6]
  Jieqiong Xu , Wenbin Chen , Shengkai Li , Qian Chen , Tao Wang , Yadong Shi , Shengyong Deng , Mingde Li , Peifa Wei , Zhuo Chen . Organic stoichiometric cocrystals with a subtle balance of charge-transfer degree and molecular stacking towards high-efficiency NIR photothermal conversion. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(10): 109808-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109808
7. [7]
  Zikang Hu , Hengjie Zhang , Zhengqiu Li , Tianbao Zhao , Zhipeng Gu , Qijuan Yuan , Baoshu Chen . Multifunctional photothermal hydrogels: Design principles, various functions, and promising biological applications. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(10): 109527-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109527
8. [8]
  Tianwen Chen , Chunqiang Cai , Li Chen , Yanlin Chen , Lichun Dong , Luxi Tan , Zitong Liu . Novel vinylene-bridged covalent organic framework based on diketopyrrolopyrrole with exceptional photothermal properties. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(7): 111028-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111028
9. [9]
  Pei-Pei Jia , Yi-Xiong Hu , Zhen-Chen Lou , Xuelei Ji , Xing-Dong Xu , Haitao Sun , Tongxia Jin , Feng Zheng , Lin Xu . Construction of BODIPY-based triangular metallacycles with tunable photosensitization efficiency. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(11): 110835-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.110835
10. [10]
  Xinyu Hu , Bo Song , Shukai Song , Qinghui Ling , Bangkun Yue , Lianrui Hu , Feifei Wang , Li He , Lin Xu . Development of luminescent metallohelicate as a selective chloride transporter. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(12): 110918-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.110918
11. [11]
  Qing Li , Fangyu Fu , Mengyun Zhao , Yeqin Feng , Manzhou Chi , Zichen Zhao , Hongjin Lv , Guo-Yu Yang . Asymmetrically anchoring silver alkynyl cluster to the cobalt-containing polyoxometalate. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(7): 110090-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110090
12. [12]
  Kun Rong , Cuilian Wen , Jiansen Wen , Xiong Li , Qiugang Liao , Siqing Yan , Chao Xu , Xiaoliang Zhang , Baisheng Sa , Zhimei Sun . Hierarchical MoS₂/Ti₃C₂T_x heterostructure with excellent photothermal conversion performance for solar-driven vapor generation. Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica, 2025, 41(6): 100053-0. doi: 10.1016/j.actphy.2025.100053
13. [13]
  Tao LIU , Yuting TIAN , Ke GAO , Xuwei HAN , Ru'nan MIN , Wenjing ZHAO , Xueyi SUN , Caixia YIN . A photothermal agent with high photothermal conversion efficiency and high stability for tumor therapy. Chinese Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2024, 40(8): 1622-1632. doi: 10.11862/CJIC.20240107
14. [14]
  Xiao-Fang Lv , Xiao-Yun Ran , Yu Zhao , Rui-Rui Zhang , Li-Na Zhang , Jing Shi , Ji-Xuan Xu , Qing-Quan Kong , Xiao-Qi Yu , Kun Li . Combing NIR-Ⅱ molecular dye with magnetic nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal theranostics with a 95.6% photothermal conversion efficiency. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(4): 110027-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110027
15. [15]
  Yi Zhou , Wei Zhang , Rong Fu , Jiaxin Dong , Yuxuan Liu , Zihang Song , Han Han , Kang Cai . Self-assembly of two pairs of homochiral M₂L₄ coordination capsules with varied confined space using Tröger's base ligands. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(2): 109865-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109865
16. [16]
  Yiqiao Chen , Ao Liu , Biwen Yang , Zhenzhen Li , Binggang Ye , Zhouyi Guo , Zhiming Liu , Haolin Chen . Photoluminescence and photothermal conversion in boric acid derived carbon dots for targeted microbial theranostics. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(9): 109295-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109295
17. [17]
  Fadeng Yang , Pengli Zhang , Jianbo Liu , Chuan Wan , Jinming Sun , Chuan Dai , Zhihong Liu , Yuhao An , Yujie Wu , Yun Xing , Feng Yin , Yuxin Ye , Wei Han , Zigang Li . Self-assembly of a cyclo-pentapeptide with a novel frame structure. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(9): 110785-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110785
18. [18]
  Bin Yao , Yao Bu , Hongfei Sun , Guowang Li , Xianying Wu , Wei Wang . Interlocked covalent organic cages: Design, synthesis, and self-assembly. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2026, 37(1): 111894-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111894
19. [19]
  Songtao Cai , Liuying Wu , Yuan Li , Soham Samanta , Jinying Wang , Bing Liu , Feihu Wu , Kaitao Lai , Yingchao Liu , Junle Qu , Zhigang Yang . Intermolecular hydrogen-bonding as a robust tool toward significantly improving the photothermal conversion efficiency of a NIR-II squaraine dye. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(4): 108599-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.108599
20. [20]
  Xiaonan LI , Hui HAN , Yihan ZHANG , Jing XIONG , Tingting GUO , Juanzhi YAN . A viologen‐based Cd(Ⅱ) coordination polymer: Self‐assembly, thermochromism, and electrochemical property. Chinese Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2025, 41(7): 1439-1444. doi: 10.11862/CJIC.20240376

Get Citation

PDF

XML

Metrics

PDF Downloads(0)
Abstract views(91)
HTML views(0)

通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com

1.
沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院沈阳 110142

Address：Zhongguancun North First Street 2,100190 Beijing, PR China Tel: +86-010-82449177-888

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

Return