大连化学物理研究所研究团队发现了一种新的能量转移机制，通过质子在苯酚和吡啶分子间的临时移动，大幅增强了ZnSe量子点与相邻分子间的能量转移速度和效率[1]。这一机制被称为质子穿梭辅助三重态能量转移（PS-TET），相关研究已发表于《自然材料》杂志2026年第25卷第7期[1]。
研究表明，质子通过量子隧穿而非热驱动过程进行移动，其转移速率对温度变化不敏感[1]。虽然质子最终会回到原始位置，但其临时移动过程大幅加速了能量转移，相比不含质子穿梭的甲基化类似物性能显著提升[1]。此外，通过添加强吸电子的三氟甲基取代基，可以改变质子耦合电子和空穴转移步骤的发生顺序[1]。
该发现由吴凯峰教授领导的团队完成[1]，表明量子效应可在室温下控制复杂材料中的电荷和能量转移过程，为太阳能电池、激光器和催化反应等领域的应用开辟了新的可能性[1]。
Researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics have discovered a proton-shuttle-assisted triplet energy transfer mechanism that significantly enhances energy transfer between ZnSe quantum dots and neighboring molecules [1]. The phenomenon, termed PS-TET, operates through temporary proton movement between phenol and pyridine moieties, enabling marked acceleration and efficiency improvements in energy transfer processes [1].
The research, led by Professor Wu Kaifeng, was published in Nature Materials in 2026 (Volume 25, Issue 7, DOI: 10.1038/s41563-026-02535-4) [1]. The energy transfer rate driven by proton shuttling exhibits minimal temperature dependence, indicating that protons move via quantum tunneling rather than through thermal processes [1]. Although protons ultimately return to their original positions, their temporary displacement dramatically increases both the speed and efficiency of energy transfer compared to methylated analogs that lack the proton-shuttle mechanism [1].
The team demonstrated that incorporating strongly electron-withdrawing trifluoromethyl substituents can alter the sequence in which proton-coupled electron and hole transfer steps occur [1]. These findings suggest that quantum effects can be controlled at room temperature to direct charge and energy transfer in complex materials, with potential applications in solar cells, lasers, and catalytic reactions [1].