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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)

Photochromic Donor–Acceptor Naphthalenediimides Enabling Near‐Infrared Photothermal Conversion for Seawater Desalination

  • Sotaro Kusumoto1
  • Soushi Kurihara1
  • Masaya Shimabukuro2
  • Naoki Ogiwara3
  • Nobutsugu Hamamoto4
  • Jack Harrowfield5
  • Yang Kim6
  • Yoshihiro Koide1
6 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Applied Chemistry Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry Kanagawa University Yokohama Japan
  2. 2Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Institute of Integrated Research Institute of Science Tokyo Tokyo Japan
  3. 3Center of Advanced Instrumental Analysis Kyushu University Kasuga Fukuoka Japan
  4. 4Graduate School of Science and Technology for Innovation Yamaguchi University Yamaguchi Japan
  5. 5ISIS Université De Strasbourg Strasbourg France
  6. 6Department of Chemistry Graduate School of Science and Technology Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
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Abstract

Photochromic donor–acceptor molecules that produce near‐infrared (NIR) absorption upon light activation offer promising platforms for organic photothermal materials. Here, neutral naphthalene diimide (NDI) derivatives with tertiary amine substituents demonstrate efficient photothermal conversion through photochromism‐induced radical formation. UV irradiation initiates intermolecular electron transfer from the electron‐donating amine groups to the electron‐deficient NDI core, generating stable radical species with strong NIR absorption. These photoactivated states enable rapid photothermal heating under 850 nm light with efficiencies reaching up to 24.5%. When integrated into a floating evaporation platform, the optimized compound achieves a water evaporation rate of 0.98 kg m− 2 h− 1 and an energy conversion efficiency of 65.5% under 1 sun illumination. These findings highlight the potential of photochromic NDI donor–acceptor systems as adjustable organic photothermal materials for solar‐driven water purification.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{kusumoto2026photochromic,
  title = {{Photochromic Donor–Acceptor Naphthalenediimides Enabling Near‐Infrared Photothermal Conversion for Seawater Desalination}},
  author = {Sotaro Kusumoto and Soushi Kurihara and Masaya Shimabukuro and Naoki Ogiwara and Nobutsugu Hamamoto and Jack Harrowfield and Yang Kim and Yoshihiro Koide},
  journal = {Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1002/chem.71482},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.71482},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Photochromic Donor–Acceptor Naphthalenediimides Enabling Near‐Infrared Photothermal Conversion for Seawater Desalination
AU  - Sotaro Kusumoto
AU  - Soushi Kurihara
AU  - Masaya Shimabukuro
AU  - Naoki Ogiwara
AU  - Nobutsugu Hamamoto
AU  - Jack Harrowfield
AU  - Yang Kim
AU  - Yoshihiro Koide
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/31
JO  - Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
DO  - 10.1002/chem.71482
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.71482
AB  - Photochromic donor–acceptor molecules that produce near‐infrared (NIR) absorption upon light activation offer promising platforms for organic photothermal materials. Here, neutral naphthalene diimide (NDI) derivatives with tertiary amine substituents demonstrate efficient photothermal conversion through photochromism‐induced radical formation. UV irradiation initiates intermolecular electron transfer from the electron‐donating amine groups to the electron‐deficient NDI core, generating stable radical species with strong NIR absorption. These photoactivated states enable rapid photothermal heating under 850 nm light with efficiencies reaching up to 24.5%. When integrated into a floating evaporation platform, the optimized compound achieves a water evaporation rate of 0.98 kg m− 2 h− 1 and an energy conversion efficiency of 65.5% under 1 sun illumination. These findings highlight the potential of photochromic NDI donor–acceptor systems as adjustable organic photothermal materials for solar‐driven water purification.
SN  - 0947-6539
SN  - 1521-3765
ER  -