EAGER: Photoconductivity Characterization of Polymeric Nanocomposites

这项探索性研究（EAGER）早期拨款为探索使用纳米结构颗粒和薄膜作为适合太阳能应用的聚合物纳米复合材料的关键组件的可行性提供了资金。纳米复合聚合物的合成将集中在聚合物/纳米颗粒基质中的关键成分上，这些成分有可能有助于在太阳能电池中战略性地放置功能分子，即发色团。这项可行性研究将评估纳米复合材料的光转换行为，重点是光导原子力显微镜和体太阳能电池器件的电学表征，以及纳米复合材料的形貌和界面区检查。如果成功，本研究的数据将为纳米颗粒/导电聚合物薄膜柔性太阳能材料水基可制造性的可行性提供指导，并将指导未来光伏纳米复合材料的基础研究。这项工作将有助于开发太阳能异质结材料的新策略，该策略基于在导电聚合物阵列中使用易于自组装的定制纳米颗粒的分散。另一个优点是，材料系统将适用于喷墨印刷和柔性太阳能材料制造的卷对卷加工。

This EArly Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) award provides funding to explore the feasibility of using nanostructured particles and thin films as key components in a polymeric nanocomposite suitable for solar applications. The synthesis of the nanocomposite polymers will focus on key constituents in the polymer/nanoparticle matrix that have the potential to aid in the strategic placement of the functional molecules, i.e. chromophores, in a solar cell. This feasibility study will evaluate the photo conversion behavior of the nanocomposite, focusing on photoconductive atomic force microscopy and electrical characterization of bulk solar cell devices as well as examination of the topography and interfacial zones of the nanocomposite. If successful, the data from this study will provide guidance for the feasibility of water-based manufacturability of nanoparticle/conductive polymer thin film flexible solar materials, and will guide future research into fundamental studies of photovoltaic nanocomposite materials. The effort will contribute to the development of a new strategy for solar heterojunction materials that is based on the dispersion of customized nanoparticles within conductive polymer arrays using facile self-assembly within aqueous phases. An additional advantage is that the material system would be amenable to inkjet printing and roll-to-roll processing for flexible solar materials manufacturing.