Construction of a proton conductor that exhibits high photoswitching properties due to the synergistic effect of photoresponsive sites

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20555
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0502:Inorganic/coordination chemistry, analytical chemistry, inorganic materials chemistry, energy-related chemistry, and related fields
• Research Institution: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Aoki Kentaro 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 助教 (00963810)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: プロトン伝導 / 光機能性材料 / スイッチ / 異性化 / 協奏効果

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We constructed a novel metal complex using a ligand with multiple photoresponsive untis, inducing structural isomerization and pKa change. By examining the proton conductivity before and after light irradiation, we found that simultaneous isomerization of the two photoresponsive sites exhibited a high reversible on-off ratio reaching 10^5. This significantly exceeded the on-off ratio of ion conductivity when only one of the photoresponsive sites was isomerized, indicating that the photoresponsive sites were acting cooperatively.

Free Research Field

錯体化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では「複合化した光応答性部位の協奏効果」というコンセプトの下、合目的的に配位子・錯体を設計することでオン・オフ比10^5に至る電子スイッチングに匹敵する高いプロトン伝導度スイッチングを達成した点で意義深い。また、これらの知見は光駆動型イオンポンプなどの生態系やイオン伝導度の変調が電子伝導度に影響するイオントロニクスなど、分野横断的な波及効果も大きく、将来的にはイオンを媒体とした素子・回路開発への貢献も期待される。