The synthesis, characterization and photophysical properties of three Zr-based Metalorganic frameworks (MOFs) assembled from 2,6-anthracenedicarboxylic acid (2,6-ADCA, 2,6- MOF) and 1,4-anthracenedicarboxylic (1,4-ADCA, 1,4-MOF), and 9,10-anthracenedicarboxylic acid (9,10-ADCA, 9,10-MOF) are described. The crystal structure of the 9,10-MOF was elucidated by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis and is isostructural with the well-known UiO-66 framework. The 2,6-MOFs also form highly crystalline, octahedral-shaped structures and was characterized by PXRD. Le Bail refinement of the powder pattern revealed that the 2,6-MOF also has UiO-type crystal structure. Conversely, incorporation of the 1,4-ADCA ligand results in large rod-shaped crystals. The excited-state properties of the MOFs were examined using steadstate diffuse reflectance, steady-state emission spectroscopy and time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) spectroscopy and are compared to those of the corresponding ligand in solution. Both the unique fluorescent properties of the ligand as well as individual framework structure, result in distinctive luminescent behavior and dictate the extent of intermolecular interactions. Specifically, the 2,6-MOF displays monomeric emission with a fluorescence lifetime (t) of 16.6 ± 1.1 and fluorescence quantum yield (Ff). On the other hand, the 1,4-MOF displays both monomeric and excimeric emission, with corresponding lifetime values of 7.5 ± 0.01 and 19.9 ± 0.1, respectively and a quantum yield of 0.002 ± 0.0001.
The propensity for photon upconversion through sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA-UC) was probed in the three anthracene-based MOFs. The MOFs were surface-modified with Pd(II) mesoporphyrin IX (PdMP) as the triplet sensitizer. Upconverted emission from the 9,10-MOF was observed, with a quantum efficiency (FUC) of 0.46 % and a threshold intensity (Ith) of 142 mW/cm2 . The variation of the spacing between the anthracene units in the MOFs was found to have significant impact on TTA-UC. As a result, upconverted emission is only displayed by the 9-10-MOF. The distance between anthracene linkers in the 2,6-MOF are too large for TTA to occur, while the short distances in the 1,4-MOF inhibit upconversion through competitive excimer formation.
To further explore the effects of chromophore spacing on energy transfer processes, a series of zinc-based mixed-ligand MOF were constructed from Zn(II) tetrakis(4- carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (ZnTCPP) and pyrazine, 2,2′-bipyridine (pyz) or 4,4′-bipyridyl (bpy) or 1,4-di(4-pyridyl)benzense (dpbz), comprising ZnTCPP/Zn paddlewheel layers. Across this series, the porphyrin spacing was approximately 6 Å, 11 Å and 16 Å for pyz, bpy and dpbz, respectively. The photophysical properties of the MOFs were explored using stead-state diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and steady-state and time-resolved emission spectroscopies. Florescence quenching studies examined the correlation between porphyrin spacing and efficiency of energy transfer. / Ph. D. / Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline materials composed of metal clusters connected by organic molecules. Their modular nature and synthetic tunability allows for rational design of MOFs with different functionalities and has afforded their application in a variety of fields including gas storage and separation, catalysis, optoelectronics, energy conversion and storage, chemical sensing and biomedicine. MOFs provide an ideal platform for studying the structure-property relationships that govern energy-transfer processes. Furthermore, efficient and long-ranging, directional energy transfer has been demonstrated in MOFs. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on MOFs with applications in solar energy conversion schemes. The design and synthesis of photoactive MOFs is described and the effects of their structure on energy-transfer processes is explored.
Photovoltaic cells (PVCs) absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity. However, only photons that are high enough in energy are absorbed by the PVC, while the lower energy photons are not absorbed and therefore do not contribute to power production, resulting in decreased efficiency of the solar cell. One approach to enhancing solar cell efficiencies is to collect the lower energy photons and convert them into higher energy photons through a process called sensitized photon upconversion (UC). This process involves a molecule (sensitizer chromophore) that absorbs lower-energy photons and then transfers the absorbed energy to a second molecule (acceptor chromophore), which emits higher-energy photons. In order to understand how to optimize the efficiency of the UC process, we integrated sensitizer and acceptor chromophores into MOFs various molecular arrangements and probed UC in these materials. Close proximity and he appropriate orientation between chromophores resulted in UC from the framework.
Natural photosynthetic systems contain highly ordered arrays of chromophores that efficiently absorb sunlight and funnel the energy to a reaction center. Energy-harvesting materials that mimic natural photosynthetic processes also have potential applications in solar energy conversion. Porphyrins are often used in artificial photosynthetic systems because of their similarity to chlorophyll pigments found in nature. In order to design highly efficient artificial photosynthetic systems, we first need to understand how energy transfer processes are influenced by the structure of the system. Therefore, we synthesized a series of MOFs containing Zn=porphyrin layers at varied distances and examined the effects of distance between porphyrin layers on the energy-transfer processes within the MOFs. This work provides insight into the structure-property relationships in photoactive MOFs that can serve as a guide for the rational design of light-harvesting MOFs in future studies.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/83875 |
| Date | 06 July 2018 |
| Creators | Rowe, Jennifer Maria |
| Contributors | Chemistry, Morris, Amanda J., Tissue, Brian M., Morris, John R., Tanko, James M. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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