A key goal of nanotechnology is the development of artificial machines capable of converting molecular movement into macroscopic work. Although conversion of light into shape changes has been reported and compared to artificial muscles, real applications require work against an external load. Here, we describe the design, synthesis and operation of spring-like materials capable of converting light energy into mechanical work at the macroscopic scale. These versatile materials consist of molecular switches embedded in liquid-crystalline polymer springs. In these springs, molecular movement is converted and amplified into controlled and reversible twisting motions. The springs display complex motion, which includes winding, unwinding and helix inversion, as dictated by their initial shape. Importantly, they can produce work by moving a macroscopic object and mimicking mechanical movements, such as those used by plant tendrils to help the plant access sunlight. These functional materials have potential applications in micromechanical systems, soft robotics and artificial muscles.

Polyoxometalates (POMs) have remarkable properties and a great deal of potential to meet contemporary societal demands regarding health, environment, energy and information technologies. However, implementation of POMs in various functional architectures, devices or materials requires a processing step. Most developments have considered the exchange of POM counterions in an electrostatically driven approach: immobilization of POMs on electrodes and other surfaces including oxides, embedding in polymers, incorporation into Layer-by-Layer assemblies or Langmuir-Blodgett films and hierarchical self-assembly of surfactant-encapsulated POMs have thus been thoroughly investigated. Meanwhile, the field of organic-inorganic POM hybrids has expanded and offers the opportunity to explore the covalent approach for the organization or immobilization of POMs. In this critical review, we focus on the use of POM hybrids in selected fields of applications such as catalysis, energy conversion and molecular nanosciences and we endeavor to discuss the impact of the covalent approach compared to the electrostatic one. The synthesis of organic-inorganic POM hybrids starting from bare POMs, that is the direct functionalization of POMs, is well documented and reliable and efficient synthetic procedures are available. However, as the complexity of the targeted functional system increases a multi-step strategy relying on the post-functionalization of preformed hybrid POM platforms could prove more appealing. In the second part of this review, we thus survey the synthetic methodologies of post-functionalization of POMs and critically discuss the opportunities it offers compared to direct functionalization.

Steady-state irradiation under visible light of a covalent Ir(III)-photosensitized polyoxotungstate is reported. In the presence of a sacrificial electron donor, the photolysis leads to the very efficient photoreduction of the polyoxometalate. Successive formation of the one-electron and two-electron reduced species, which are unambiguously identified by comparison with spectroelectrochemical measurements, is observed with a significantly faster rate reaction for the formation of the oneelectron reduced species. The kinetics of the photoreduction, which are correlated to the reduction potentials of the polyoxometalate (POM), can be finely tuned by the presence of an acid. Indeed light-driven formation of the two-electron reduced POM is considerably facilitated in the presence of acetic acid. The system is also able to perform photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light without significant loss of performance over more than 1 week of continuous photolysis and displays higher photocatalytic efficiency than the related multi-component system, outlining the decisive effect of the covalent bonding between the POM and the photosensitizer. This functional and modular system constitutes a promising step for the development of charge photoaccumulation devices and subsequent photoelectrocatalysts for artificial photosynthesis.Photoconversion of light into chemical fuels is emerging as a major scientific challenge. [1][2][3][4] In the past decades, molecular approaches have mostly focused on one hand on the design of photosensitive systems displaying long-lived photo-induced charge separation states to permit further electron transfers 5-10 and, on the other hand, on catalysts able to use these photogenerated charges for achieving either oxygen [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] or hydrogen evolution. [19][20][21][22][23][24] As these two reactions are multi-electronic processes while photosensitizers deliver electrons and holes sequentially, the charges need to be directed to a charge accumulation site. 25 However, only a few molecular photoactive systems with a designed charge accumulation site have been described so far. [26][27][28][29][30] Another requirement is crucial for efficient charge accumulation in such systems: when partially filled, the reservoir should not interfere with the photoactive moiety. Indeed, in classical donor-acceptor (D-A) systems, the electron acceptor, once reduced, potentially becomes an electron donor and often displays lightabsorbing properties. Thus it may act, in a subsequent light-driven process, as a deleterious 47,48 In the previously mentioned study, transient absorptions measurements only allowed for the characterization of the first photo-induced electron transfer. Charge photo-accumulation studies can be achieved in the presence of an additional electron donor in the solution that can irreversibly quench the charge separation state, regenerate the initial state of the photosensitizer and make a second photo-induced process possible. We herein provide unprecedente...