Methyl viologen-templated zinc gallophosphate zeolitic material with dual photo-/thermochromism and tuneable photovoltaic activity

A novel zinc gallophosphate zeolitic material (C₁₂H₁₄N₂)₄F_1.33[Ga_13.33Zn_6.67(PO₄)₂₀] (denoted as JU101) has been prepared by using in situ generated methyl viologen (MV) as the template. The framework of JU101 features two building units including an unprecedented fused d6r and a novel [4¹²·6⁴·8²·10²] cavity. The connection of these two building units forms a 3D intersecting pore system containing 8-rings along the [010] direction, and 10-rings along the [001] and [100] directions. The MV-templated JU101 zeolitic material offers a new type of electron transfer system, which endows the material with interesting photochromism, thermochromism, and tuneable photovoltaic activity in response to light and heating. Importantly, JU101 shows an extended photochromism range from UV to visible light, high thermal stability, as well as a long-lived charge-separated state for potential application in solar energy conversion.