I-Corps: From Nanofabrication to Commercial Production of Solar Cells

本项目旨在实现太阳能电池新设计的概念论证和产品演示。该项目使用的技术是基于使用可调谐的有机双层光伏(OPV)纳米颗粒作为将来自太阳的光子转换为可用电子的低成本手段。拟议的工作包括制备取向的氧化锌(ZnO)纳米棒，用功能性OPV纳米颗粒装饰纳米棒，测试太阳能电池的性能，以及展示产品。新的设计将使功能双层纳米颗粒与垂直排列的氧化锌纳米棒对准，以实现通过光电子转换产生的载流子(电子和空穴)的有效传输。可持续能源供应是一个影响日常生活、环境和许多其他领域的问题。如果顺利完成，该项目可能会带来可持续和更经济的太阳能能源供应。氧化锌纳米结构具有高的导电性、机械强度和长期稳定性。OPV纳米颗粒和氧化锌纳米棒都利用低成本材料和廉价的广泛使用的加工技术提供了低成本的可扩展性。

This project aims to realize the proof of concept and then the demonstration of product on a new design of solar cell. The technology used for this project is based upon the use of tunable organic bi-layer photovoltaic (OPV) nanoparticles as a low-cost means to convert photons from the sun to useable electrons. The proposed work involves fabrication of aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods, decoration of the nanorods with functional OPV nanoparticles, testing of solar cell performance, and the demonstration of products. The new design will align functional bilayer nanoparticles with vertically aligned ZnO nanorods to realize efficient transport of carriers (electrons and holes) that are generated through photon-electron conversion. Sustainable energy supply is an issue impacting day-to-day life, the environment and many other areas. If successfully completed, this project may lead to sustainable and more economic energy supply through solar power. Zinc oxide nanostructures have demonstrated high electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and long-term stability. Both the OPV nanoparticle and the ZnO nanorod offer low-cost scalability utilizing low-cost materials and inexpensive widely used processing techniques.