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

Shuai Zhang, Wenbin Huang, Yuxin Zhu, Jian Wang, Feng Cao, Qian Zhang, Engui Zhao () and Zikai He ()
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Shuai Zhang: Shenzhen
Wenbin Huang: Shenzhen
Yuxin Zhu: Shenzhen
Jian Wang: Shenzhen
Feng Cao: Shenzhen
Qian Zhang: Shenzhen
Engui Zhao: Shenzhen
Zikai He: Shenzhen

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62581-5

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