Carbon Nanotube Solar Cells and Sensors

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Currently there is a clear need for new forms of environmentally friendly, clean and renewable energy in order to address the current world energy crisis. Traditional fossil fuels are limited and the increasing negative side effects of climate change are becoming obvious. The field of nanotechnology, as a result of its access to many new materials is uniquely positioned to provide solutions. The primary objective of this project is to utilize one such nanomaterial known as a single-walled carbon nanotube to fabricate new forms of photovoltaic or solar cell devices. A solar cell consisting entirely of carbon, a cheap, readily available material will be demonstrated. Such a newly designed cell will be flexible, amenable to large-scale printing techniques and capable of operating at high temperature. The project is divided into 4 linked themes, namely the fabrication of all carbon organic solar cells, light sensor devices, all carbon dye-sensitized solar cells and the fabrication of chemical and biological optical sensors. The fabrication of solar cells will be integrated with chirality-sorted carbon nanotubes to provide enhanced sunlight absorption and conversion efficiency. Upon chemical modification of sorted single-walled carbon nanotubes with porphyrins and other organometallic dyes, the light absorption range will be further broadened and power conversion efficiency increased. Separation of single-walled carbon nanotubes will then be used in development of sensor arrays. Utilizing unique separations of nanotubes, light sensors will be developed with direct application to spectroscopic devices. In a complementary approach, utilizing chemical modification of separated carbon nanotubes, highly sensitive biological and chemical sensors (capable of self-powering through absorption of sunlight) will then be developed.