GOALI: Holographic Passive Solar Concentration and Lighting

研究目标和方法本研究的目的是创造一种新型全息聚合物薄膜，它可以在每日和每年的变化中重新定向阳光，从而使被动式太阳能聚光器能够产生能量，被动式太阳能照明能够节约能源。该方法是调整聚合物的反应和扩散速率，使全息图的效率可以提高到这种材料的25倍，从而使许多薄的、100%高效的薄膜堆叠在一起。这些角度和颜色选择薄膜的设计工具将被创建，以指导功能样品的制造和测试。该研究将通过研究固体薄膜中聚合物的光学引发的强偏析来推进软材料科学。专门的理论和数值设计工具将利用这种对3D材料特性的增强控制来实现具有大折射率梯度的新型聚合物光学器件。将创建高通量薄膜制造工艺，以实现这些设计在经济相关的成本和尺寸。在与两个工业伙伴的合作下，该项目将制造和测试用于太阳能发电和节能应用的专用薄膜。更广泛的影响该项目将在一所本科文理学院建立一个卫星研究中心。本科生将在学年期间调查材料，然后在夏季将结果整合到科罗拉多大学的更大项目中。

Research Objectives and ApproachesThe objective of this research is to create a new form of holographic polymer film that can redirect sunlight over daily and yearly variations in order to enable passive solar concentrators for energy generation and passive solar lighting for energy conservation. The approach is to tailor the polymer reaction and diffusion rates such that the holograms can grow to 25 times the efficiency typical of such materials, enabling many thin and 100% efficient films to be stacked into a single sheet. Design tools for these angle and color selective films will be created to guide the fabrication and test of functional samples.Intellectual MeritThe research will advance soft materials science by investigating optically-initiated, strong segregation of polymers in solid films. Specialized theoretical and numerical design tools will exploit this enhanced control over 3D material properties to enable new classes of polymer optical devices with large refractive index gradients. High-throughput film fabrication processes will be created to realize these designs in economically-relevant costs and sizes. In cooperation with two industrial partners, the program will then fabricate and test specialized films for solar generation and conservation applications.Broader ImpactsThe program will establish a satellite research hub at an undergraduate liberal arts college. Undergraduates will investigate materials during the academic year, then spend summers integrating results into the larger program at the University of Colorado.