EAGER: Production of Nanoscale Solar Energy Materials using a Solar Microreactor

化学制造过程的主要目的是将原材料转化为有用的产品。在这些操作过程中，能源资源被消耗，材料资源的有用性被改变。随着世界范围内对能源的需求继续增加，矿物燃料燃烧的经济和环境影响继续显现，寻找合适的替代能源比以往任何时候都更加紧迫。在各种可再生能源中，利用某些材料的光伏（PV）特性将太阳光直接转化为电能是很有吸引力的。由于材料利用率低、加工温度高和/或溶剂使用量高，目前的光伏制造实践存在能源效率低和碳足迹大的问题，抵消了光伏技术的希望和前景。该项目的目标是探索零能源影响的化学制造过程的可能性，以生产纳米级太阳能材料。纳米晶体的最新进展对下一代低成本和/或高效率太阳能电池的发展产生了巨大的影响。例如，半导体纳米晶体油墨用于降低太阳能电池吸收层的制造成本。此外，一些量子受限纳米晶体还表现出大于100%量子产率的电子-空穴对生成现象，称为多激子生成。这些量子点有可能用于制造超过Schockley-Queisser极限的太阳能电池。本项目旨在研究以可再生能源为动力的微反应器系统，用于生产纳米级太阳能材料。驱动化学反应所需的热能将通过抛物线槽太阳能聚光器提供。在这个EAGER项目中，将研究两种不同的反应堆方案。一种方法是直接利用太阳辐射到太阳能微通道反应器上，另一种方法是利用能量传递介质吸收太阳能，然后将该介质作为合成的能量输入。利用太阳能微反应器生产纳米级太阳能材料的想法将首次通过这个EAGER项目进行探索，以评估其可行性并确定关键挑战。更广泛的影响由于可再生能源意识的提高和政府的激励措施，spv制造业和绿色建筑行业预计将显著增长。目前太阳能发电的低采用率可归因于低效率和高成本。当前技术的一个固有成本是太阳能材料生产过程中的高能耗。以具有成本效益的方式实现零能源影响制造过程的可能性可以使太阳能技术更环保，更实惠。这种太阳能微反应技术的演示将提高效能和效率，降低纳米级太阳能材料的成本，从而导致更广泛的采用。研究生和本科生将参与该项目，俄勒冈州立大学校园现有的K-12外展项目将开发小型项目，以招募和留住代表性不足的群体（年轻女性和少数民族）进入科学和工程领域。

1105061ChangIntellectual MeritsThe main purpose of chemical manufacturing processes is to transform raw materials into useful products. In the course of these operations, energy resources are consumed and the usefulness of materials resources is altered. As the world-wide demand for energy continues to rise and the economic and environmental impact of fossil fuel combustion continues to be felt, the search for suitable alternative energy sources has become more urgent than ever. Among the various renewable energy sources, the conversion of sunlight directly into electricity using the photovoltaic (PV) properties of certain materials is attractive. Current PV manufacturing practices suffer from poor energy efficiency and large carbon footprints due to poor material utilization, high processing temperatures and/or high solvent usage -- offsetting the hope and promise of PV technologies. The objective of this project is to explore the possibility of a zero energy impact chemical manufacturing process for the production of nanoscale solar energy materials.Recent advances in nanocrystals are having a dramatic impact on the development of next generation low-cost and/or high efficiency solar cells. For example, semiconductor nanocrystal inks are used to lower the fabrication cost of the absorber layers of the solar cells. In addition, some quantum confined nanocrystals display an electron-hole pair generation phenomena with greater than 100% quantum yield, called multiple exciton generation. These quantum dots could potentially be used to fabricate solar cells that exceed the Schockley-Queisser limit. This project aims to investigate the microreactor systems powered by renewable energy for the production of nanoscale solar energy materials. The needed thermal energy for driving the chemical reaction will be supplied via a parabolic trough solar concentrator. Two different reactor schemes will be investigated in this EAGER project. One is the direct use of solar radiation onto solar microchannel reactors and the other approach is to use an energy transfer medium to absorb the solar energy then use the medium as an energy input for the synthesis. The idea of using a solar microreactor for the production of nanoscale solar energy materials will be explored for the first time through this EAGER project to assess its feasibility and to identify the key challenges.Broader ImpactsPV manufacturing industry and green building construction industry are expected to grow significantly due to the increasing awareness of renewable energy and government incentives. The current low adoption of solar based energy generation can be attributed to inefficiency and high cost. An inherent cost to the current technology is the high consumption of energy in the solar energy materials production processes. The possibility of achieving zero-energy impact manufacturing processes in a cost-effective manner can make solar energy technologies greener and more affordable. The demonstrations of this solar micro-reaction technology will increase effectiveness and efficiency, reduce cost of nanoscale solar energy materials and in turn lead to wider adoption. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in this project and mini projects for the existing K-12 outreach programs on the OSU campus will be developed for recruiting and retaining underrepresented groups (young women and ethnic minorities) into science and engineering.