Research
One point of focus is materials design on a systematic level by adjusting host and guest structures, varying the degree of loading and to design multi-component systems with selectively stimulable individuals. Currently, we focus on switch@MOF systems with photochromic dyes as guest molecules and so-called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as host scaffolds. By the creation of a materials´ bibliography, compounds with specific functionalities are selected to be further implemented in thin films and to be exploited in terms of selective uptake and release of e.g., gases, hydrogen storage as a function of irradiation, optical characteristics, or conduction, just to name a few.
The second point of focus is the development of an analyzation procedure to understand the occurring optical/electrical characteristics in the non- and irradiated state from a structural point of view. Furthermore, possible positional re-arrangement of the freely mobile guest(s) within the porous hosts during light irradiation will be traced, which is a challenging task for solid state materials. Notably, the resulting analyzation procedure will not be limited to switch@MOF systems but can be transferred to any composite material of either partially amorphous or totally amorphous nature.