US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Towards Efficient Hybrid Solar Cells: Alignment of TiO2 Nanoparticles in Polymer Films - the Nanowiring Effect

描述：该奖项旨在支持弗吉尼亚州里士满弗吉尼亚联邦大学机械工程系的James McLeskey博士和埃及开罗艾因沙姆斯大学（ASU）光能中心和化学系的M. Sabry Abdel-Mottaleb博士的一项合作研究。他们计划研究二氧化钛纳米粒子在聚合物薄膜中的排列，纳米线效应，以及生产高效混合太阳能电池的潜力。本研究的目的是了解在混合聚合物/TiO2复合膜中排列TiO2纳米粒子的各种方法的有效性。TiO2粒子在聚合物薄膜中的排列将通过电场、磁场和离子自组装进行。为了确定各种定位技术的有效性，将以各种方式测试薄膜的性能，包括明暗电导、光致发光猝灭、UV/Vis/NIR光谱、拉曼光谱、寿命-时间分辨光谱、电化学测试以及微观方法的表面表征。由薄膜制成的太阳能电池将进行内部量子效率和整体功率转换效率的测试。智力优势：聚合物基太阳能电池必须达到10%到20%的能量转换效率，才能与更传统的发电方式竞争。到目前为止，由于低光电流，这些设备的效率受到限制，部分原因是电荷传输不良。本研究旨在更好地理解有机光电器件中的电荷输运。预计TiO2针状结构的排列将增强薄膜中的电子传输（通过创建纳米线或通道），从而提高混合太阳能电池和其他光电器件的效率。这个项目将决定实现对齐的最佳方法。更广泛的影响：提高对聚合物光伏电池中电荷传输的理解，将有助于制造出可持续发展所需的低成本、更高效的太阳能电池。高效太阳能电池的成功开发也将减少能源生产对环境的影响。除了设备集成太阳能电池外，通过该计划开发的技术预计将有广泛的应用，包括有机显示和LED技术。通过科学家交流和设施共享，该项目将使美国和埃及在具有重要战略意义的清洁能源发电领域交流科学、技术和研究经验。所获得的知识将在国际期刊上传播。该项目将招收两名博士后。许多在他实验室工作的研究生和本科生将从研究这些系统中受益，这将加强对下一代工程师的培训。该项目得到了美国-埃及联合基金项目的支持，该项目向两国的科学家和工程师提供赠款，以开展这些合作活动。

0608838McLeskeyDescription: This award is to support a cooperative research by Dr. James McLeskey, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia and Dr. M. Sabry Abdel-Mottaleb of the Photoenergy Center and the Department of Chemistry at Ain Shams University (ASU) in Cairo, Egypt. They plan to study the Alignment of TiO2 nanoparticles in polymer films, the nanowiring effect, and the potential for producing efficient hybrid solar cells. The research purpose is to understand the effectiveness of various methods for aligning TiO2 nanoparticles in blended polymer/TiO2 composite films. Alignment of TiO2 particles in polymer films will be carried out using electric fields, magnetic fields, and ionic self-assembly. To determine the effectiveness of the various alignment techniques, the film properties will be tested in a variety of ways including light and dark conductance, photoluminescence quenching, UV/Vis/NIR Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Lifetime-time resolved spectroscopy, and electrochemical testing as well as surface characterization by microscopic methods. Solar cells made from the films will be tested for internal quantum efficiency and overall power conversion efficiency.Intellectual merit: Polymer-based solar cells must achieve power conversion efficiencies of 10% to 20% in order to compete with more traditional forms of power generation. To date, the efficiency of these devices has been limited due to low photocurrents that result in part from poor charge transport. This research aims at better understanding of charge transport in organic opto-electronic devices. It is expected that alignment of the TiO2 needles will enhance electron transport in the films (by creating nanowiring or channels) leading to increased efficiencies for hybrid solar cells and other opto-electronic devices. This project will determine the best methods of achieving the alignment.Broader impact: Improved understanding of charge transport in polymer photovoltaics should lead to the fabrication of low-cost, more efficient solar cells needed for sustainable developments. Successful development of high efficiency solar cells would also reduce the environmental impact of energy production. In addition to device-integrated solar cells, the technology developed through this program is expected to have a wide range of applications including organic display and LED technology. Through the exchange of scientists and the sharing of facilities, the project will result in the transfer of scientific, technical, and research experience between the U.S. and Egypt in the strategically important field of clean energy generation. The knowledge gained will be disseminated in international journals. The PI will engage two post-doctorates in this project. A number of graduate and undergraduate students working in his lab will benefit from investigating these systems, and this will enhance the training of the next generation of engineers. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.