The Daily Bulletin Archive

Jason Benedict, assistant professor of chemistry at the University at Buffalo, will present his research talk "Linkers to Lattice: The Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Diarylethene-Based Photo-Responsive Metal-Organic Frameworks" at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, October 9, in Classroom Building B119. An abstract of his talk appears below. This seminar series is supported by the Faculty-Student Association at Buffalo State.

Abstract
Photochromic technologies have the potential to transform traditionally passive materials into active materials that change their chemical or electronic properties in response to light stimulus. New photochromic materials are being synthesized and reported at an extremely rapid rate, driven in large part by the numerous potential applications for these advanced materials, including molecular switches, sensors, data storage, photomechanical devices, and even biological switches. One of the newest emerging applications for photochromic technologies is the development of photo-responsive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs): highly porous crystalline frameworks capable of undergoing structural reorganization upon application of light. The permanently porous diarylethene-based frameworks synthesized in Jason Benedict's laboratory, the first ever reported, exhibit highly unusual photochemistry and highlight the opportunities and challenges associated these stimuli responsive materials.