New Tectons for Charge Transfer and Photovoltaics - Single Wall Carbon Nanohorns

目前的研究范围是探索单壁碳纳米角(SWNH)作为新型纳米电子受体材料在凝聚介质和电极界面的电荷分离和电荷传输过程。我们提出了几种相互关联的方法，包括材料合成、先进的测量和表征方法以及计算模拟。我们看到了与使用单壁碳纳米管(SWNT)和其他形式的纳米碳相比的几个基本优势。特别是，SWNH完全是半导体的，在没有任何催化剂的情况下生产，并显示出高比表面积和孔隙率。以SWNH为受主材料的有机/有机和无机/有机电子供体纳米杂化材料的成功开发有望为材料设计带来新的范式，并最终提高轻质、灵活、易于集成的光伏电池的性能。我们在纳米材料改性和生产方面的努力-通过模块化方法-允许轻松地优化所需材料，即通过选择半导体纳米晶体材料和表面改性来优化对太阳光谱的吸收以及向SWNH中注入电荷。在这一背景下，我们将改进它们与SWNH的电子耦合，提高捕获效率，最大限度地减少结势垒，并优化载流子分离。基于我们的初步发现和其他领域的努力，通过合理选择纳米材料和耦合化学，优化电子供体-受体相互作用，应该可以产生功能良好的电荷转移材料。

The scope of the current proposal is to explore single wall carbon nanohorns (SWNH) as novel nanoscale electron acceptor materials in charge separation and charge transport processes in condensed media and at electrode interfaces. We propose several interlocking approaches involving material synthesis, advanced measurements and characterization methods as well as computational simulations.We see several fundamental advantages relative to the use of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and other forms of nanocarbons. In particular, SWNH are exclusively semiconducting, are produced in the absence of any catalyst and exhibit high surface areas and porosity. The successful development of organic / organic and inorganic / organic electron donor acceptor nanohybrids using SWNH as acceptor materials is expected to lead to new paradigms in materials design and ultimately to enhanced performance of photovoltaic cells that are light-weight and flexible and thus easily integrated.Our efforts on nanomaterial modification and production – through a modular approach – allows for facile optimization of the desired material, that is, to optimize absorption of the solar spectrum in conjunction with charge injection into SWNH by selection of semiconducting nanocrystal material and surface modification. In this context, we will refine their electronic coupling to SWNH, improve capture efficiency, minimize junction barriers and optimize carrier separation.Based on our initial findings and others efforts in the field, optimization of the electron donor-acceptor interactions by judicious choice of nanomaterials and coupling chemistries should produce functioning charge transfer materials.