Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery demonstrating that heat transfer via infrared radiation can have a greater effect on chemical reactions than conventional methods such as convection and conduction.
In a collaborative study that combines experimental and theoretical approaches, a group of researchers, including theorists from UC San Diego, has revealed for the first time that heat transfer through infrared radiation can have a more significant impact on chemical reactions than traditional techniques like convection and conduction.
By using an optical cavity to confine infrared light waves, the researchers investigated the thermal dehydration process of copper sulfate pentahydrate, an inorganic crystal. They discovered that the interaction between light and matter (leading to the formation of polaritons) reduced the required dehydration temperature by as much as 14 degrees Celsius. This reduction is due to radiative energy transport, where heat energy radiated away from a warmer area as photons is absorbed by a colder area (the crystal), a heat conduction mechanism that has previously been overlooked.
This research reveals a new method for altering thermochemical processes through the use of optical cavities. It holds potential for developing catalytic systems that can harness these interactions to gain precise control over specific chemical reactions and optoelectronic processes.
The findings were published on January 16, 2025, in Nature Chemistry. The research team consists of Sindhana Pannir-Sivajothi, Yong Rui Poh, and Joel Yuen-Zhou from UC San Diego, Zachary Brawley from Texas A&M, and Matthew Sheldon and Ju Eun Yim from UC Irvine.
Funding for the research was provided by the National Science Foundation (CHE-2108288), the Welch Foundation (A-1886), the W.M. Keck Foundation, and the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF 60968-ND6).
