CAREER: Building a qualitative and quantitative understanding of optoelectronic processes in materials for solar energy conversion: from molecules to material

导电聚合物体相异质结有机光伏器件(BH-OPV)由于其所使用的导电聚合物材料具有复杂的纳米结构和整体形态，其光物理和光电性质的研究非常复杂。因此，器件性能一直低于预期，并出现了关于合适的有源层成分和厚度的争议。为了从根本上解决太阳能转换用活性导电聚合物材料中的光吸收和吸收光到自由载流子的转换问题，我们将开发一类新型的复合纳米粒子，并将在设备环境中进行研究。这些纳米粒子包含的分子数量有限，但具有整体性质，因此非常适合于研究高度非均质材料中的复杂过程。尤其令人感兴趣的是与界面电荷分离/复合有关的机理和动力学，这些性质对BH-OPV的功能至关重要，并直接受到分子构象、结构和电子结构的影响。通过提议的单纳米颗粒研究，我们将获得分子和纳米级的洞察，这将产生关于块状材料的详细知识，否则无法获得这些知识。特别是，我们将对分子和介观电子供体-受体界面上发生的界面电荷转移和分离过程有更好的了解，同时开发新的技术和方法来研究太阳能转换材料。拟议的研究将与一种新的教育方法相结合。科学相关(STEM)教育的愿景是通过基于探究的学习和在相关学习伙伴(学生、教师、家长和整个社区)之间发展可持续的学习社区，提高教师和学生对STEM教育和职业的兴趣、兴奋和留存。此外，目前STEM教育中的问题主要是在处理被认为非常困难的学科领域时的动机问题。因此，我们提出了一种既针对有趣的教学，又针对学生和教师的情感支持和发展的方法。拟议中的研究计划还具有超越学术界的影响。无论是从补充我们现有能源的角度，还是从获取燃料的角度来看，太阳能都是满足我们社会能源需求的主要候选者，这种燃料将减轻我们社会对其生活环境的压力。在短期内，社会影响还将反映在对中佛罗里达大学代表不足群体的两名研究生的教育和支持上。在更广泛的范围内，奥兰多和佛罗里达总体上在社会、经济和种族层面上拥有高度多样化的社区。我们社区中有大量具有不同社会和经济背景的西班牙裔和非裔美国学生。拟议的计划旨在积极接触并纳入这些群体，促进STEM教育和职业发展。当地社区还将通过展览和开放参观活动，参与为广大观众设计的研究活动。此外，我们在佛罗里达太阳能中心(FSEC)有一个主要的社区外展资源。30年来，FSEC在可再生能源和能效研究和培训方面一直处于领先地位。FSEC还是美国在可再生能源和建筑能效领域最大、最活跃的州政府支持的研究和培训机构，并提供其他社区服务，包括提高社区对能源相关问题的认识、系统测试、认证、继续教育和救灾等。

0746210Gesquiere The study of the photophysical and optoelectronic properties of a functioning conducting polymer Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Photovoltaic Device (BH-OPV) is extremely complicated due to the complex nanostructure and overall morphology of the conducting polymer materials applied in these devices. As a result, device performance has remained below expectations and controversies have arisen about the appropriate active layer composition and thickness. To fundamentally address the issues of light absorption and conversion of absorbed light to free charge carriers in active conducting polymer materials for solar energy conversion we will develop a new class of composite nanoparticles that will be studied in a device environment. These nanoparticles contain a limited number of molecules but exhibit bulk properties, and are therefore highly suitable for the study of complex processes in highly heterogeneous materials. Of particular interest are the mechanism and kinetics related to interfacial charge separation/recombination, properties that are crucial to the function of BH-OPVs and are directly affected by molecular conformation, architecture and electronic structure. By the proposed single nanoparticle studies we will gain molecular and nanoscale level insight that will yield detailed knowledge on the bulk material that would not be accessible otherwise. In particular, we will obtain an improved understanding of interfacial charge transfer and separation processes occurring at molecular and mesoscale electron donor-acceptor interfaces while developing new techniques and methodologies for research on materials for solar energy conversion. The proposed research will be integrated with a novel educational approach. The vision for science related (STEM) education is to increase interest, excitement, and retention of teachers and students in STEM education and careers through inquiry based learning, and development of a sustainable learning community between the involved learning partners (students, teachers, parents, and the community at large). In addition, current issues in STEM education are primarily motivation issues in dealing with subject areas that are considered ?very difficult?. Therefore, we propose an approach that targets both interesting deliveries, and emotional support and development for students and instructors. The proposed research program also has implications beyond academia. Solar energy is the main candidate to meet the energy needs of our society, both from the perspective of supplementing our existing energy resources as well as from the perspective of harvesting a fuel that will reduce the pressure that our society is putting on its living environment. In the short term the societal impact will also be reflected in the education and support of two graduate students from underrepresented groups at the University of Central Florida. On a broader scale, Orlando and Florida in general have highly diverse communities at the social, economic and ethnic levels. We have a large population of Hispanic and African American students of diverse social and economic backgrounds in the community. The proposed program is built to actively reach out to and include these groups in promoting STEM education and careers. The local community will also be involved in encounters with research for designed for a broad audience through exhibitions and open-house events. In addition, we have a major resource available for community outreach in the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC). FSEC has been a leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency research and training for 30 years. FSEC is also distinguished as the largest and most active state-supported research and training institute in the United States in the area of renewable energy and building energy efficiency, and also provides additional community services including increasing community awareness to energy related issues, system testing, certification, continuing education and disaster relief among others.