IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-62581-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Robust organic radical cations with near-unity absorption across solar spectrum

Author

Listed:
  • Shuai Zhang

    (Shenzhen
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Wenbin Huang

    (Shenzhen
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Yuxin Zhu

    (Shenzhen)

  • Jian Wang

    (Shenzhen)

  • Feng Cao

    (Shenzhen)

  • Qian Zhang

    (Shenzhen)

  • Engui Zhao

    (Shenzhen
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Zikai He

    (Shenzhen
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Developing low-energy-gap materials for efficient photothermal conversion provides promising candidates for solar energy utilization. Herein, we explore the feasibility of employing robust organic radical cations as near-unity solar absorbers for practical seawater evaporation. Gram-scale organic radical cations are straightforwardly synthesized through single-electron oxidation. The open-shell structure and intervalence charge-transfer characteristics of radicals enable near-unity absorption of full solar spectral irradiance. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that the intervalence charge-transfer electron relaxes non-radiatively in femtoseconds, with a rapid rate of 5.26 × 1012 s−1. Notably, the radical cations exhibit exceptional stability, attributed to para-position protection, spin delocalization, and frontier orbital inversion. By simply soaking cellulose paper, a highly efficient interfacial evaporation system is established. Under one sunlight irradiation, the system achieves a remarkable solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 97.2%. This work offers new perspectives on designing robust radical systems and developing efficient photothermal conversion materials.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuai Zhang & Wenbin Huang & Yuxin Zhu & Jian Wang & Feng Cao & Qian Zhang & Engui Zhao & Zikai He, 2025. "Robust organic radical cations with near-unity absorption across solar spectrum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62581-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62581-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62581-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-62581-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ye Shi & Ognjen Ilic & Harry A. Atwater & Julia R. Greer, 2021. "All-day fresh water harvesting by microstructured hydrogel membranes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiujia You & Hanmin Zhang & Hongjun Lin & Linhua Rao, 2025. "Dynamic reverse Cl− driven integration of sludge conditioning and dewatering," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Song Zhang & Mingchao Chi & Jilong Mo & Tao Liu & Yanhua Liu & Qiu Fu & Jinlong Wang & Bin Luo & Ying Qin & Shuangfei Wang & Shuangxi Nie, 2022. "Bioinspired asymmetric amphiphilic surface for triboelectric enhanced efficient water harvesting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Chen, W.D. & Chua, K.J., 2021. "Energy performance analysis and optimization of a coupled adsorption and absorption cascade refrigeration system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    4. Arunkumar, T. & Parbat, Dibyangana & Lee, Sang Joon, 2024. "Comprehensive review of advanced desalination technologies for solar-powered all-day, all-weather freshwater harvesting systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    5. Awei Hu & Yuan Zhao & Qing Hu & Chunhui Chen & Xiao Lu & Songlin Cui & Bo Liu, 2024. "Highly efficient solar steam evaporation via elastic polymer covalent organic frameworks monolith," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Xiaobin Dai & Xuanyu Zhang & Lijuan Gao & Ziyang Xu & Li-Tang Yan, 2022. "Topology mediates transport of nanoparticles in macromolecular networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62581-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.