Stimuli Responsive Stable Radical Anion for Conductance Switching

Radical anions are important for various uses. However, their generation and stabilization under ambient conditions, which are essential for actual applications, are challenging. A photogenerated NDI-based radical-anion that is stable even in water for more than a month is reported here. The design, synthesis, and the generation of the radical-anion and its stability have been discussed. The photogenerated radical-anion form a stacked supramolecular architecture structure that conducts electricity with a linear I-V curve. This system offers a photoresponsive turn-on behavior of conductance with a response ratio (I-366nm/I-unexposed) of 22 million of the UV light-exposed samples compared to its neutral precursor.

Automated summary

Radical anions play important roles in various applications, but their generation and stabilization under ambient conditions can be challenging. This study reports a photogenerated NDI-based radical-anion that remains stable in water for over a month, forming a stacked supramolecular structure and conducting electricity with a linear I-V curve. The system exhibits a photoresponsive turn-on behavior with a high response ratio compared to its neutral precursor.