STTR Phase I: Photovoltaic Fabric

该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。这个小企业技术转移第一阶段项目将制作一种基于纳米技术的新型光伏(PV)材料的原型：光伏织物。光伏织物将使用由直接生长在细金属线外围的p型硅纳米线阵列组成的线来编织。纳米线被连续的n型硅膜覆盖，形成围绕线外围的大量高表面积二极管结结构。然后，在n型层上涂覆一层透明导体。多孔绝缘层隔离n型和p型电极。这项创新技术将使制造轻便、灵活的光伏纺织品成为可能。第一阶段的计划将专注于制造能够展示二极管行为和光响应的功能光伏线。同时，一种替代材料将用于启动生产光伏纺织品所需的编织和电气互连过程。整个项目的目标是开发一种基于纺织品的新型平台，以获取清洁、负担得起的使用点太阳能。最终的研究目标是生产比功率大于300W/kg、能效达到30%的光伏织物功能样片。全球光伏市场规模在200亿美元至250亿美元之间。该市场正以每年25%至30%的速度增长。预计2012年全球这一数字将超过700亿美元。光伏织物材料技术是新颖和创新的，如果成功设计，可能被证明是一项极具颠覆性的技术。太阳能是一种未得到充分利用的自然资源。人们对可再生、清洁能源需求的认识日益增强，目前正在推动太阳能发电扩展到更广泛的能源市场。由纳米技术实现的便携式光伏材料将有多种应用：从新兴的“智能纺织品”领域到军装和遮蔽物，再到便携式消费电子产品，一种能够从太阳能发电的纺织品的影响可能是一项非常有价值的技术，这种纺织品可以被整合到现有的产品和材料中，在一个灵活的织物平台上。Illuminex公司、宾夕法尼亚州立大学和费城大学正在合作这个项目。至少有两名本科生和一名研究生将获得从事尖端纳米技术研究的有偿工作。这项技术将与传统的太阳能市场竞争，并为便携式太阳能应用打开新的新兴市场。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will prototype a novel photovoltaic (PV) material based on nanotechnology: photovoltaic fabric. The PV fabric will be woven using threads that comprise of an array of p-type silicon nanowires grown directly on the periphery of thin metallic thread. The nanowires are covered with a continuous n-type silicon film forming a multitude of high surface area diode junction structures about the periphery of the thread. Then, the n-type layer is coated with a transparent conductor. A porous insulating layer isolates the n-type and p-type electrodes. This innovative technology will make it possible to construct flexible photovoltaic textiles that are light-weight and portable. The Phase I program will focus on making functional PV threads that demonstrate diode behavior and a photo-response. In parallel, a surrogate material will be used to initiate the weaving and electrical interconnect process that will be required to produce a PV textile. The full project goal is to develop a novel textile based platform to harvest clean, affordable, point-of-use solar power. The final research objective is to produce functional swatches of PV fabric that demonstrate efficiencies of 30% with a specific power greater than 300 W/kg. The worldwide PV market is between $20 and $25 billion. The market is growing at an annual rate of between 25% and 30%. It is expected to exceed $70 billion worldwide in 2012. The photovoltaic fabric material technology is novel and innovative, and if successfully engineered, could prove to be an extremely disruptive technology. Solar power is an underused natural resource. Increased awareness of the need for renewable, clean sources of energy are currently driving the expansion of solar electrical power generation into the broader energy markets. Portable PV materials enabled by nanotechnology would have a multitude of applications: from the emergent field of "Smart Textiles" to military uniforms and shelters to portable consumer electronics, the impact of a textile capable of generating electricity from the sun that could be incorporated into existing products and materials in a flexible, fabric platform could be a tremendously valuable technology. Illuminex Corporation, the Pennsylvania State University, and Philadelphia University are collaborating on this project. At least two undergraduate and one graduate student will have paid jobs performing cutting edge nanotechnology research. This technology will compete with the traditional solar power market and open new emergent markets for portable solar power applications.