STTR Phase I: Photovoltaic Fabric

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。这个小企业技术转让第一阶段项目将原型一种基于纳米技术的新型光伏（PV）材料：光伏织物。PV织物将使用由直接生长在细金属线的外围上的p型硅纳米线阵列组成的线来编织。纳米线覆盖有连续的n型硅膜，在线的外围形成大量的高表面积二极管结结构。然后，用透明导体涂覆n型层。多孔绝缘层隔离n型和p型电极。这项创新技术将使人们有可能制造出轻质便携的柔性光伏纺织品。第一阶段计划将重点放在制作功能性PV线，展示二极管行为和光响应。同时，替代材料将用于启动生产PV纺织品所需的编织和电气互连工艺。整个项目的目标是开发一种新型的基于纺织品的平台，以收获清洁，负担得起的使用点太阳能。最终的研究目标是生产功能性PV织物样品，其在大于300 W/kg的比功率下表现出30%的效率。全球光伏市场规模在200亿至250亿美元之间。市场正以每年25%至30%的速度增长。 预计2012年全球将超过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，可能会被证明是一种极具颠覆性的技术。太阳能是一种未充分利用的自然资源。对可再生清洁能源需求的认识不断提高，目前正推动太阳能发电向更广泛的能源市场扩展。由纳米技术实现的便携式光伏材料将有多种应用：从“智能纺织品”的新兴领域到军服和庇护所，再到便携式消费电子产品，能够从太阳发电的纺织品的影响，可以在灵活的织物平台中纳入现有的产品和材料，这可能是一项非常有价值的技术。Illuminex公司、宾夕法尼亚州立大学和费城大学正在合作进行这个项目。至少有两名本科生和一名研究生将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开辟新的新兴市场。

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.