AIEgens in Solar Energy Utilization: Advances and Opportunities

Abstract

Solar energy is the most abundant energy resource on earth. Unfortunately, only a very small portion of the solar radiation can be utilized by current light-harvesting materials, thus leading to the poor utilization efficiency of solar energy. In this regard, aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have demonstrated versatile properties that can enhance energy conversion and potentially revolutionize solar utilization systems. AIEgens with great processability can selectively absorb radiation across multiple spectral regions and transform solar energy into longer-wavelength light, heat, or alternative forms of energy. These processes can considerably enhance the solar energy utilization performance by either developing light-harvesting systems based on AIEgens or hybridizing modern light-harvesting systems with AIE technology. In this Perspective, based on material properties, we highlight different functions of AIEgens related to solar light utilization, including sunlight transformation, chemical conversion, and thermal conversion.

Construction of Inverse–Opal ZnIn2S4 with Well–Defined 3D Porous Structure for Enhancing Photocatalytic H2 Production

“…The growing global concern regarding the energy crisis and environmental pollution has sparked significant interest within the scientific and industrial communities in developing clean and sustainable energy alternatives to traditional fossil fuels [1,2]. Solar energy is an inexhaustible, clean and renewable natural resource, and hydrogen can serve as an energy carrier for solar energy with a high energy conversion efficiency and zero carbon, and the only byproduct is water.…”

Aggregation-induced emission materials: a platform for diverse energy transformation and applications

“…27 More importantly, through relieving the RIM and promoting the intramolecular motions, heat-involved nonradiative decay could also be protably retained in the aggregate state. 28,29 Taken together, the multi-channel or directional single-channel energy outputs of the excited energy can be successfully achieved as required in the AIE-active energy transformation platform.…”

Study on the Superlubricity Behavior of Ions under External Electric Fields at Steel Interfaces

“…The limited and nonrenewable chemical energy reserves used in internal combustion engines (ICEs), along with the emissions of greenhouse gases, have raised concerns amid the global energy crisis and growing environmental pollution . As a mitigation method, with significant advancements in battery technology in recent decades, electric vehicles are gradually replacing ICE vehicles in China, Europe, and the United States. − The reliability of electric vehicles is greatly dependent on the stability of the electric propulsion system, which requires lubricants to exhibit favorable lubricating performances under external electric fields (EEFs), such as friction reduction and antiwear capacities …”