US Egypt Cooperative Research: Ultrasmall Silicon nanoparticle technology for renewable energy applications

1103398本项目支持伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳分校（UIUC） Munir Nayfeh博士、俄亥俄州克利夫兰州立大学丘小彤博士和埃及开罗国家研究中心（NRC） Noha Elhalawany博士的合作研究项目。他们计划解决科学/工程问题，以实现可持续能源的创新技术。这项工作背后的共同主题是氢钝化超小硅纳米颗粒（USiN）的贡献，这是一种由Nayfeh博士开发并获得专利的创新材料。这项研究、开发和商业化计划将为利用纳米技术方法收集和储存可再生能源做出重大贡献。智能优势：基于半导体-聚合物复合材料的设备已被考虑用于收集和存储可再生能源。但是，严重的聚集减少了界面面积和电子传递，大大降低了它们的性能和效率。最近，伊利诺伊大学开发了硅纳米材料，有望缓解这些问题。颗粒的Si-H末端允许纳米颗粒在聚合物中进行化学混合，形成均匀的复合材料。有序紧密堆积的纳米颗粒相使界面面积最大化，同时形成有序的电子快速传递网络。pi计划对半导体纳米颗粒-聚合物复合材料薄膜的性质进行基础研究，通过一维和二维Si或碳结构增强，并构建和分析使用这些复合材料的先进能量收集和可再生能源存储装置。该项目预计将产生完全转型的技术，这将使可再生能源达到与现有技术相比在经济上具有竞争力的程度。主要研究内容包括：硅纳米分散体及其在导电聚合物中的纳米复合膜的合成；利用纳米复合材料构建先进的能源装置：光伏太阳能电池和生物燃料电池用于能源收集；以及用于储能的柔性衬底上的超级电容器；由太阳能电池和超级电容器驱动的混合LED灯泡；探索参数空间：纳米粒子材料和尺寸/聚合物类型（空穴和电子传递）/一维元素、稳定性和老化效应；基本机制的研究（复合材料和器件的优化）：电输运和光动态特性与聚合物基体类型和纳米颗粒尺寸（带隙和电子亲和）的关系；电催化，电导率和传输调制与添加剂材料，和功率效率；通过整合各种一维和二维结构来提高功率效率：硅纳米线，石墨烯，碳纳米管；纳米材料的安全性研究和二氧化碳生产分析。更广泛的影响：能源和燃料的消费和成本的增加引发了能源危机，加上高能耗造成了紧迫的环境污染和全球变暖，引发了严重的气候变化，该项目旨在解决可以导致更好的太阳能收集的创新问题。硅纳米粒子的研究超越了能源，因为它将影响健康和安全的重要问题，对环境的影响以及纳米伦理。由于能源的重要性，它有望开辟与工业合作的新渠道。由于埃及开罗国家研究中心、伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校（UIUC）和克利夫兰州立大学的参与，该项目将为从事该项目的研究生和本科生提供培训和宝贵的国际经验和视角。

1103398 This project supports a cooperative research project by Dr. Munir Nayfeh the University of Illinois, Urbana, Champaign (UIUC), Dr. Siu-Tung Yau, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio and Dr. Noha Elhalawany, National Research Center (NRC), Cairo, Egypt. They plan to address science/engineering issues toward innovative technologies for sustainable energy. The common theme underlying the effort is the contribution of hydrogen passivated ultrasmall silicon nanoparticles (USiN), an innovative material developed and patented by Dr. Nayfeh. This research and development and commercialization initiative is planned for making significant contribution to using nano technology approaches for harvesting and storing renewable energy.Intellectual Merit: Devices based on composites of semiconductor-polymer have been considered forharvesting and storing renewable energy. But the performance and efficiency of those are drasticallyreduced by severe aggregation that reduces the interface area and electron transport. Recently, siliconnano material has been developed at the University of Illinois, which potentially can alleviate theseproblems. The Si-H termination of the particles allows the nano particle to mix chemically in the polymerto form homogeneous composites. The ordered close packing nano particle phase maximizes interfacearea, while forming ordered networks for fast electron transport. The PIs plan to conduct fundamental studies of the nature of thin films of semiconductor nano particle-polymer composites, enhanced by one and two-dimensional Si or carbon structures as well as construct and analyze advanced energy harvest and storage devices of renewable energy using these composites. The project is expected to yield totally transformational technologies, which will get renewable energy to a point where it is economically competitive with current technology. The research includes: synthesis of dispersions of silicon nano particles and their nano-composite films in conducting polymers; construction of advance energy devices using the nano composites: Photovoltaic solar cells and biofuel cells for energy harvest; and super capacitors on flexible substrate for energy storage; hybrid LED bulbs driven by solar cell and super capacitors ; device operation, characterization and optimization: Exploring the parameter space: nano particle material and size / polymer type (hole and electron transporting) / 1-dimenional element, stability and effect of aging; studies of the basic mechanisms (optimization of composite and devices): electrical transport and photo dynamic properties vs. type of polymer matrix and size of the nano particles (band gap & electron affinity); electro-catalysis, modulation of conductivity and transport vs. additive material, and power efficiency; Enhancement of power efficiency by incorporating a variety of one- and two- dimensional structures: Si nano wires, graphene, carbon nano tubes; and safety studies of nano material and analysis of CO2 production.Broader Impact: With an energy crisis triggered by increasing consumption and cost of energy and fuels, compounded by the fact that high energy consumption is causing pressing environmental pollution and global warming, triggering severe climate changes, this project is to address innovations that can lead to better solar energy harvesting. Research in Si nano particles transcends energy, as it will impact important questions of health and safety, effect on the environment as well as nano ethics. Because of the importance of energy, it is expected to open up new channels for collaboration with industry. The project will provide training and valuable international experience and perspectives for the graduate and undergraduate students working on the project, due to the involvement of the National Research Center in Cairo, Egypt and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and Cleveland State University.