Photoresponsive Behavior Research Articles

Investigating charge transportation and photo-responsive outcome of a Schottky diode fabricated by 2-amino terephthalic acid directed supramolecular Mn(II)-metallogel

This study investigates a supramolecular metallogel formed using an ultrasonication technique and employing manganese acetate tetrahydrate as a metal salt, 2-amino terephthalic acid (ATA) as an organic gelator, and N,N′-dimethyl formamide and dimethyl sulfoxide as mixed solvents. The mechanical toughness and viscoelastic parameters of the metallogel material were well demonstrated by rheology-based experimental values of storage and loss moduli with rotational frequency, shear strain, and shear stress of the Mn(II)-metallogel (Mn-ATA). The microstructural analysis along with chemical composition were shown using field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis-based elemental research. Analysis of the infrared spectrum aided in determining how Mn-ATA was formed. Electrospray ionization mass investigation of Mn-ATA demonstrated the existence of several metallogel components and their engagement in producing the metallogel structure. Different diode parameters (i.e. photosensitivity, photoconductivity sensitivity, responsivity, specific detectivity, ideality factor, barrier height, and series resistance were measured, revealing the semiconducting property of the metallogel. The current–voltage characteristics of a Mn-ATA-based thin-film type metal–semiconductor junction device demonstrated non-linear rectifying behavior, indicating Schottky diode behavior with dominating electronic-charge transport features. The device displayed an improved rectifying property under illumination, which also implied higher conductivity. The device's measured conductivity in the low-voltage domain (equivalent to ohmic behavior) was 1.03 × 10−5 and 4.12 × 10−5 Sm−1 under darkness and illumination, respectively, implying photo-responsive behavior.

Probing the Electronic and Opto-Electronic Properties of Multilayer MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors at Low Temperatures.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)-based field-effect transistors (FETs) are being investigated vigorously for their promising applications in optoelectronics. Despite the high optical response reported in the literature, most of them are studied at room temperature. To extend the application of these materials in a photodetector, particularly at a low temperature, detailed understanding of the photo response behavior of these materials at low temperatures is crucial. Here we present a systematic investigation of temperature-dependent electronic and optoelectronic properties of few-layers MoS2 FETs, synthesized using the mechanical exfoliation of bulk MoS2 crystal, on the Si/SiO2 substrate. Our MoS2 FET show a room-temperature field-effect mobility μFE ~40 cm2·V-1·s-1, which increases with decreasing temperature, stabilizing at 80 cm2·V-1·s-1 below 100 K. The temperature-dependent (50 K < T < 300 K) photoconductivity measurements were investigated using a continuous laser source λ = 658 nm (E = 1.88 eV) over a broad range of effective illuminating laser intensity, Peff (0.02 μW < Peff < 0.6 μW). Photoconductivity measurements indicate a fractional power dependence of the steady-state photocurrent. The room-temperature photoresponsivity (R) obtained in these samples was found to be ~2 AW-1, and it increases as a function of decreasing temperature, reaching a maximum at T = 75 K. The optoelectronic properties of MoS2 at a low temperature give an insight into photocurrent generation mechanisms, which will help in altering/improving the performance of TMD-based devices for various applications.

Improving Separation Efficiency of Photogenerated Charges through Combination of Conductive Polythiophene for Selective Production of CH4

In today’s society, mankind is confronted with two major problems: the energy crisis and the greenhouse effect. Artificial photosynthesis can use solar energy to convert the greenhouse gas CO2 into high-value compounds, which is an ideal solution to alleviate the energy crisis and solve the problem of global warming. The combination of ZnO and polythiophenes (PTh) can make up for each other’s drawbacks, thus improving the photoresponse behavior and separation efficiency of the photogenerated carriers. The PTh layer can transfer photogenerated electrons to ZnO, thereby extending the lifetime of the photogenerated charges. The production rate of CH4 from the photoreduction of CO2 with ZnO/PTh10 is 4.3 times that of pure ZnO, and the selectivity of CH4 is increased from 70.2% to 92.2%. The conductive PTh can absorb photons to induce π–π* transition, and the photogenerated electrons can transfer from the LUMO to the conduction band (CB) of ZnO, thus more electrons are involved in the reduction of CO2.

Facile synthesis of azobenzene‐embedded conjugated macrocycles for optically switchable single‐crystal transistors and tunable supramolecular assemblies

AbstractA series of new π‐conjugated macrocycles (AzoM‐n‐E, n = 1–3) incorporating azobenzene units have been synthesized by a facile strategy in one‐pot reaction. The resultant azobenzene‐embedded macrocycles feature intrinsic photoresponsive behaviors and intriguing supramolecular assembling properties. The smallest macrocycle AzoM‐1‐E with a rigid planar conjugated backbone structure is used to prepare the single crystal transistors, showing reversible optical tunability. The moderate size macrocycle AzoM‐2‐E assembles into a dimer in the form of interpenetration through π‐π stacking between azobenzene units. The largest macrocycle AzoM‐3‐E with enhanced flexibility can adaptively assemble with various types of electron‐deficient guests accompanied by distortion of azobenzene. Typically, AzoM‐3‐E assembles with the planar F4‐TCNQ to form a tetragonal geometry by C‐F···π and π‐π interactions, while the assembly with ellipsoidal C70 via π‐π interactions induces AzoM‐3‐E to form a boat‐shaped geometry. This work will shed new light on the development of functional conjugated macrocycles in organic electronics.

Chemically assembled 2D-van der Waals WSe2-WC heterostructured photo-anodes for electrochemical devices

Structural, optical, nanomorphological, photoresponsive and electrochemical charge transport characteristics of chemically assembled 2D-layered Tungsten Selenide (WSe2)-Tungsten Carbide (WC) heterostructure were examined. WC exhibited an optical bandgap of ∼3.2 eV, which did not show any optical absorption in the visible spectrum, and WSe2 showed the same in the spectral range of 200 nm-950 nm with an optical bandgap of ∼1.3 eV. Chemical assembly of WSe2-WC heterostructure was made in which the weight fraction of WSe2 was varied to understand its role in WC. Among the 2, 4, 6 and 8 wt% of WSe2 in WC, we observed that 6 wt% exhibited a dominant absorption and fluorescence emission (∼600 nm). High-resolution transmission electron microscopic studies revealed the d-spacing values of 0.24 nm and 0.33 nm for WSe2 and WC, respectively. Further, the presence of W (4f), Se (2d) and C (1 s) were traced out and studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Raman modes A1g and EAg1 at 150 cm−1 and 250 cm−1 asserted the presence of WSe2 in WC which exhibited A1g at 150 cm−1. In addition, the individual WSe2 and WC along with WSe2-WC heterostructures were subjected to X-ray diffraction to study the crystallite size and strain-induced broadening due to the lattice deformation that occurred at the WSe2-WC heterostructures. Incorporating WSe2 into WC increased the photo-responsive behaviour and facilitated the charge transport as envisaged from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies.

Thermally Evaporated CsPbCl3 Perovskite on Si/SiO2 with Wide Spectrum Photoresponse from Ultraviolet (UV) to Near-Infrared (NIR)

CsPbCl3 metal halide perovskite photodetectors (PDs) are prepared via thermal evaporation and 75 °C in situ annealing on Si/SiO2 substrates, and their photoresponse as well as the morphology, structure, and photophysical properties are investigated. Wide spectrum photoresponse ranging from 350 to 980 nm has been achieved with optimal responsivity (R) of 2364, 3766, and 268 A/W at wavelengths (λ) of 420, 680, and 980 nm, respectively. Such photoresponse behavior can be attributed to the parallel photoresponse from both CsPbCl3 and Si based on the UPS (ultraviolet photoelectron spectrometry) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) results. Yb3+ doped CsPbCl3 PDs with the photosensing layer structure of CsPbCl3 (50 nm)/YbCl3 (30 nm)/CsPbCl3 (50 nm) have been prepared, and it was found that Yb3+ dopant is capable of realizing obviously shorter exciton lifetime at 420 nm, lower trap density, as well as remarkably higher carrier mobility due to the combined effects of energy transfer from CsPbCl3 to Yb3+ and defect passivation from Yb3+, leading to remarkable improvement of the photoresponse performance with optimal R (2709, 6340 and 3573A/W), noise equivalent power (NEP) (5.64 × 10–7, 2.51 × 10–7, and 4.38 × 10–7 W), and specific detectivity (D*) (1.84 × 1011, 3.24 × 1011, and 1.5 × 1011 cm Hz1/2 W–1) compared to those of pristine CsPbCl3 at λ of 420, 720, and 980 nm, respectively. Especially at the NIR λ of 980 nm, 10-fold higher R is achieved after Yb3+ incorporation. The upconversion processing of Yb3+ can also be responsible for the enhanced wide spectrum photoresponse of Yb3+ doped CsPbCl3. Our study provides a practical way to realize wide spectrum perovskite PDs by simply connecting the perovskite to Si substrates by the Au electrodes.

Bioinspired helical-artificial fibrous muscle structured tubular soft actuators.

Biological tubular actuators show diverse deformations, which allow for sophisticated deformations with well-defined degrees of freedom (DOF). Nonetheless, synthetic active tubular soft actuators largely only exhibit few simple deformations with limited and undesignable DOF. Inspired by 3D fibrous architectures of tubular muscular hydrostats, we devised conceptually new helical-artificial fibrous muscle structured tubular soft actuators (HAFMS-TSAs) with locally tunable molecular orientations, materials, mechanics, and actuation via a modular fabrication platform using a programmable filament winding technique. Unprecedentedly, HAFMS-TSAs can be endowed with 11 different morphing modes through programmable regulation of their 3D helical fibrous architectures. We demonstrate a single "living" artificial plant rationally structured by HAFMS-TSAs exhibiting diverse photoresponsive behaviors that enable adaptive omnidirectional reorientation of its hierarchical 3D structures in the response to environmental irradiation, resembling morphing intelligence of living plants in reacting to changing environments. Our methodology would be significantly beneficial for developing sophisticated soft actuators with designable and tunable DOF.

Optimized photoresponse performances in vertical and horizontal photodetectors based on freestanding GaN membranes

GaN has become an important material in the optoelectronics due to its suitable band gap and excellent physical and chemical properties, however, the grown substrates limit device geometry owing to their poor electrical and thermal conductivity. Herein, horizonal and vertical GaN ultraviolet photodetectors (UV PDs) were fabricated using the freestanding GaN membranes obtained by an epitaxial lift-off technique. The photoresponse behaviors in the fabricated PDs were then optimized by the piezo-phototronic effect. Owing to the synergistic effect of spontaneous polarization and asymmetric electrodes, the vertical UV PD exhibits unique self-powered characteristics with the light on/off of 3.3 × 103 and the responsivity (R) of 114 mA/W at the bias of 0 V. Optimized by the piezo-phototronic effect, the R increases to 168 mA/W at a tension strain of 0.25 %. In comparison, the R of horizontal UV PD decreases, regardless of the compression or tension. Physical mechanisms of the performances optimization in the vertical and horizontal UV PDs are proposed and analyzed. This study opens a pathway to fabricate GaN UV PDs with different device configurations and provides fundamental support for their performance modulation by the piezo-phototronic effect.

Simulation Photosynthesis Improves the Photoresponse Performance of Cr2Ge2Te6 Nanosheets for High-Performance Self-Powered Photoelectrochemical Photodetectors

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials have been extensively studied as excellent candidates for future optoelectronic devices. Cr2Ge2Te6, as a two-dimensional semiconductor material, has attracted extensive interest in the field of photodetectors due to its excellent light absorption properties and suitable band gap. Inspired by biological photosynthesis, this study constructed a high-performance biomimetic self-powered photoelectrochemical-type flexible photodetector using liquid-stripped Cr2Ge2Te6 nanosheets as the photoanode. The device exhibits obvious self-powered photoresponse behavior and excellent photoresponse performance with a responsivity of 54.4 μA/W. Furthermore, the addition of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) effectively consumes the photo-excited holes on the Cr2Ge2Te6 nanosheets to inhibit the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, and the cyclic regeneration of NADPH is realized by adding adenosine triphosphate. In addition, the flexible photodetector also exhibits excellent stability and durability, and it still maintains good photoresponse characteristics after 1000 times of bending and folding. Our work fully confirms that it is an effective means to improve the photoresponse performance of 2D materials by simulating biological photosynthesis, and it also provides theoretical and experimental guidance for the research and development of high-performance biomimetic devices.

Hybrid MoS2/PbS Quantum Dots Toward In-Sensor Reservoir Computing

Neuromorphic visual systems are potential to overcome the von Neumann bottleneck, emulating the human retina to implement in situ vision preprocessing. Specifically, in-sensor reservoir computing (RC) is capable of processing spatio-temporal vision information with high efficiency. However, traditional photodetectors are incapable of the fading memory ability, which is the core of the RC systems for temporal information processing. Here, we report a hybrid MoS <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> /PbS quantum dots based optoelectronic device with short-term memory properties for RC demonstration. The photogating effect induced dynamic temporal photoresponse behavior can be effectively regulated by the incident optical intensity and time. As a proof of concept, image classifying with a high accuracy of 95.8% and time series prediction are demonstrated, paving a way for intelligent edge computing.

Recent Progress in Photoresponsive Biomaterials.

Photoresponsive biomaterials have garnered increasing attention recently due to their ability to dynamically regulate biological interactions and cellular behaviors in response to light. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the design, synthesis, and applications of photoresponsive biomaterials, including photochromic molecules, photocleavable linkers, and photoreactive polymers. We highlight the various approaches used to control the photoresponsive behavior of these materials, including modulation of light intensity, wavelength, and duration. Additionally, we discuss the applications of photoresponsive biomaterials in various fields, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensing, and optical storage. A selection of significant cutting-edge articles collected in recent years has been discussed based on the structural pattern and light-responsive performance, focusing mainly on the photoactivity of azobenzene, hydrazone, diarylethenes, and spiropyrans, and the design of smart materials as the most targeted and desirable application. Overall, this review highlights the potential of photoresponsive biomaterials to enable spatiotemporal control of biological processes and opens up exciting opportunities for developing advanced biomaterials with enhanced functionality.

Crystal Chemistry, Optic and Magnetic Characterizations of a New Copper Based Material Templated by Hexahydrodiazepine.

Crystals of the new organic-inorganic material (DAP-H2)[CuBr4] (1); (DAP = hexahydrodiazepine (C5H14N2)) were successfully synthesized by slow evaporation and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, UV-Vis-NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. X-ray investigation demonstrates that 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c. The supramolecular crystal structure of 1 is guided by several types of hydrogen bonding which connect anions and cations together into a three-dimensional network. The optical band gap was determined by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to be 1.78 eV for a direct allowed transition, implying that it is suitable for light harvesting in solar cells. The vibrational properties of this compound were studied by infrared spectroscopy, while its thermal stability was established by simultaneous TGA-DTA from ambient temperature to 600 °C. The study of the photoresponse behavior of an optoelectronic device, based on (C5H14N2)[CuBr4], has shown a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.0017%, with J sc = 0.0208 mA/cm2, V oc = 313.7 mV, and FF = 25.46. Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements in the temperature range 1.8-310 K reveal weak antiferromagnetic interactions via the two-halide superexchange pathway [2J/k B = -8.4(3) K].

Effects of hydrogen bonding on photo-responsive behavior of healable azobenzene-containing polyurea elastomers

Photo-responsive polymers, obtained by incorporation of photochromic azobenzene groups into polymer, can display reversible photoactuation behavior. However, the damage can cause a reduction in their service scope or service lifetime. It remains a challenge to design healable and reprocessable azobenzene-containing polymers. The polyaddition of isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) with p-diaminoazobenzene (DAAB) and amino-terminated poly(propylene glycol) (D2000) was performed to prepare the main-chain polyurea elastomer. The hydrogen bonding between urea groups can enhance self-healing of polyurea elastomer, but its influence on photo-responsive behavior of polyurea elastomer is not clear. The proportion of ordered hydrogen bonds was regulated by changing azobenzene content and the ratio of hard/soft segments. The ordered hydrogen bonds played a fundamental role in the maximum peak intensity of polyurea, while they had no direct effect on the photo-responsive efficiency of polyurea. This study provides a feasible way to obtain healable and reprocessable azobenzene-containing polymers.

Arylazopyrazole-Modified Thiolactone Acrylate Copolymer Brushes for Tuneable and Photoresponsive Wettability of Glass Surfaces.

Photoswitches have long been employed in coatings for surfaces and substrates to harness light as a versatile stimulus to induce responsive behavior. We previously demonstrated the viability of arylazopyrazole (AAP) as a photoswitch in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on silicon and glass surfaces for photoresponsive wetting applications. We now aim to transfer the excellent photophysical properties of AAPs to polymer brush coatings. Compared to SAMs, polymer brushes offer enhanced stability and an increase of the thickness and density of the functional organic layer. In this work, we present thiolactone acrylate copolymer brushes which can be post-modified with AAP amines as well as hydrophobic acrylates, making use of the unique chemistry of the thiolactones. This strategy enables photoresponsive wetting with a tuneable range of contact angle change on glass substrates. We show the successful synthesis of thiolactone hydroxyethyl acrylate copolymer brushes by means of surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization with the option to either prepare homogeneous brushes or to prepare micrometer-sized brush patterns by microcontact printing. The polymer brushes were analyzed by atomic force microscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photoresponsive behavior imparted to the brushes by means of post-modification with AAP is monitored by UV/vis spectroscopy, and wetting behavior of homogeneous brushes is measured by static and dynamic contact angle measurements. The brushes show an average change in static contact angle of around 13° between E and Z isomer of the AAP photoswitch for at least five cycles, while the range of contact angle change can be fine-tuned between 53.5°/66.5° (E/Z) and 81.5°/94.8° (E/Z) by post-modification with hydrophobic acrylates.

Free Radical-Mediated Intramolecular Photocyclization of AIEgens Based on 2,3-Diphenylbenzo[b]thiophene S,S-Dioxide

As an important category of photochemical reactions, photocyclization is regarded as an ideal entry point for building intelligent photoresponsive materials. Herein, a series of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) with sensitive photoresponsive behavior are developed based on 2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]thiophene S,S-dioxide (DP-BTO), and the impacts of substituents with different electronic structures are investigated. The comprehensive experimental and computational characterizations reveal that their photoresponsive activity is resulted from triplet diradical-mediated intramolecular photocyclization, followed by dehydrogenation to yield stable polycyclic photoproducts. This photocyclization process is active in solution but suppressed in the solid state, and thus can act as a supplementary nonradiative decay channel for the excited state to contribute to AIE effect. Moreover, the generated triplet diradical intermediates upon light irradiation can effectively inhibit the growth of S. aureus, indicative of their promising application as antibacterial agents. This work provides an in-depth mechanistic description about the photocyclization of DP-BTO derivatives and furnishes a perspective on the correlation of photochemical decay and photophysical property.

High Responsivity of Narrowband Photomultiplication Organic Photodetector via Interfacial Modification

AbstractNarrowband‐response organic photodetectors with high responsivity are widely demanded in areas of substance detection, industry automation, smart wearable devices, etc. Photomultiplication‐type organic photodetectors (PM‐OPDs) with high responsivity usually have a broadband photoresponse due to the broadband absorption nature of the photoactive materials. In this work, effort is made to develop a high‐performance filterless narrowband PM‐OPD using the charge injection narrowing (CIN) effect. A 0.8 nm thick Al2O3 interlayer is used to mitigate the dark current density (JD) in the narrowband PM‐OPD, prepared using a 2.8 µm thick blend layer of P3HT:[6,6]‐phenyl‐C70‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC70BM), achieving a peak responsivity of 1334 A W−1 at 650 nm, with a full‐width at half‐maximum of 40 nm. The narrowband PM‐OPD also possesses an impressive high specific detectivity of 9.73 × 1013 Jones. It is shown that the use of a 0.8 nm thick Al2O3 interlayer significantly suppresses the JD, creating a high energy barrier at the anode/photoactive interface and achieving a narrowband photoresponse behavior due to the CIN effect. The results of this work provide an exciting option for a variety of applications for OPDs with low cost, flexibility, and high sensitivity.

Photoresponse and electrochemical behaviour of azobenzene anchored graphene oxide for energy storage application

Solar energy is considered to be a renewable source of energy that is intrinsically more sustainable than fossil fuels. Developing photoactive hybrid materials to store solar energy has recently received much attention. Herein, a photoactive molecule-graphene oxide hybrid was synthesized and characterized systematically. The solar energy storage performances of the hybrids were studied using various photophysical studies. The energy density and power density of the hybrid materials were 47 WhKg−1 and 156.6 WKg-1 respectively which showed 3 fold higher than the pristine compound. The photoelectrochemical behaviour of the hybrid were also studied using Cyclic voltammetry and Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results showed the electrochemical performances can be varied due to their changing conformations from trans-to-cis isomerization. This work enables the research community in developing a promising material for solar thermal fuels as well as in energy storage devices.

The photoresponse behavior of a Schottky structure with a transition metal oxide-doped organic polymer (RuO2:PVC) interface

The photoresponse behavior of a Schottky structure with a transition metal oxide-doped organic polymer (RuO2:PVC) interface

Structural Engineering and Electronic Properties of Halide-Specific Supramolecular Architectures: Effective for Stabilizing H5O2+and Fabricating Semiconducting Photoresponsive Diodes

Two different halides containing chloride- and bromide-assisted dissimilar crystalline supramolecular building blocks of 4′-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-4,2′:6′,4″-terpyridine (ITP) have been achieved. The dissimilar supramolecular associations with hydrogen-bonded networks have been engineered by the role of halides in the ITP-based crystal systems (i.e., ITP-Cl and ITP-Br for Cl– and Br–, respectively). Hirshfeld surface analyses of these supramolecular assemblies have been performed. The π-systems of protonated pyridine and imidazole rings play a pivotal role in establishing the noncovalent π···π type supramolecular interactions in both the crystals, and the π-system-directed associations certainly assist in forming the 3D supramolecular architectures of ITP-Cl and ITP-Br in the solid state. Most intriguingly, the supramolecular association of ITP-Cl uniquely stabilizes the cationic unit of hydroxonium hydrate (i.e., H5O2+) in the solid state, and such solid-state stabilization of H5O2+ by the imidazole-connected terpyridine-based system is one of the pioneering challenges in crystal engineering. Distinctly, the hydrogen-bonded cluster-like assembly of H5O2+ and Cl– has been observed in the ITP-Cl system through hydrogen donor–acceptor balance. Subsequently, a special drive has been endeavored to unveil the semiconducting features, including the charge transport property and photoresponsive behavior, of these synthesized ITP-Cl and ITP-Br-based devices. Fascinatingly, the chloride-mediated ITP-Cl-based device shows remarkably higher electrical conductivity with respect to the ITP-Br-based device under photoirradiation conditions, and this implies the tuning effect of different halides toward the applicability of thin-film-based device performance. The device efficiency-based experimental outcomes have been rationalized through a density functional theory-level analysis.

A Silver-Based Integrated System Showing Mutually Inclusive Super Protonic Conductivity and Photoswitching Behavior.

Photoinduced electricity and proton conductivity led fuel cells have emerged, inter alia, as highly promising systems for unconventional energy harvesting. Notwithstanding their individual presence with widely acclaimed results, an integrating system with mutually inclusive manifestation of both features has hitherto not been reported in the literature. To achieve this objective, our approach was to design a ligand system incorporating prerequisite features of both systems, like extended conjugation instigating photophysical activity and functional groups facilitating ionic conduction. As such, we report herein the design, synthesis, and characterization of a pyridyl-pyrazole-based silver compound that exhibits an excellent photocurrent generation and very high proton conductivity. The X-ray single-crystal structure of the Ag complex fully supports our notion, showing extensive π-π conjugated aromatic rings with a protruding free sulfonic group, facing toward solvent-filled channels with numerous supramolecular interactions. The nanoscopic silver metallogel induces semiconductive features in the system which ultimately result in photoresponse behavior in terms of photocurrent generation with an whopping photocurrent gain (Ion/Ioff) of 21.2. To complete the idea of an integrated system, the proton conductivity values were also measured for both gel and crystalline states, while the former state yields a better result. The maximum proton conductivity value turns out to be 1.03 × 10-2 S cm-1 at 70 °C, which is higher than or comparable to those of well-known systems in the literature for proton conductivity.