Inorganic-organic hybrids for solar energy applications

该发现项目将重点研究在溶胶-凝胶和聚合物合成中使用新的“绿色”技术合成有序的异质结金属氧化物纳米材料及其聚合物纳米复合材料。这些三维有序的无机-有机结构在太阳能光伏发电（PV）、光催化装置、控制光和热的薄膜中有应用，用于下一代PV封装剂和智能温室薄膜。我们的合成方法将研究超临界流体，主要是超临界二氧化碳（scCO2），如何用于开发这些结构和随后的微加工。这种“零”表面张力可调溶剂允许合成独特的一维金属氧化物纳米结构的各种形态，包括纳米线，纤维和管。我们最近发现了一种由惰性液体组分通过反应和自组装步骤形成纳米金属氧化物的一锅合成路线。在相同的反应器中，量子点纳米晶体（QDs）和聚合物（co和ter）如含氟聚合物可以直接附着在陶瓷纳米材料上，并随后沉积成薄膜。这种基于绿色解决方案的变革性技术提供了以以前无法获得的低成本制造这些先进材料的潜力，尽管仍然存在重大的科学和工程挑战。

This Discovery project will focus on the synthesis of well ordered heterojunction metal oxide nanomaterials and their polymer nanocomposites using new "green" techniques in sol-gel and polymer synthesis. These 3-D ordered inorganic-organic structures have solar energy applications in photovoltaics (PV), photocatalytic devices, and films that control light and heat for next generation PV encapsulants and smart greenhouse films. Our synthetic approach will examine how supercritical fluids, primarily supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), can be used for developing these structures and subsequent microfabrication. This "zero" surface tension tuneable solvent allows for the synthesis of unique 1-D metal oxide nanostructures of various morphologies including nanowires, fibers and tubes. We have recently discovered a one-pot synthesis route where nanometal oxides can be formed from inert liquid components through reaction and self-assembly steps. In the same reactor, quantum dot nanocrystals (QDs) and polymers (co and ter) such as fluoropolymers can be directly attached to the ceramic nanomaterials, and subsequently deposited as thin films. This transformative technology using a green solution based approach provides the potential to make these advanced materials at previously unobtainable low costs, although significant scientific and engineering challenges remain.