New electrode materials for the oxygen evolution/reduction reactions; solar cells based on novel solvent-free gel elctrolytes

金属-空气电池因其高比能量和电极材料的低成本、低毒等优点，成为便携式电子设备和电动汽车的理想储能系统。太阳能电池是将可再生太阳能直接转化为电能的装置。为了提高金属-空气电池的功率密度和寿命，本方案的长期目标(一期)是开发高活性和稳定的双功能氧电极材料。在这些器件中，在相同的电极材料上，在放电过程中发生氧还原(OR)，在充电过程中发生放氧(OE)。将新型的MyCu1-yCo2O4电催化剂(M=Mn或Li)分散在Nb掺杂的二氧化钛导电载体上，并固定在玻碳圆盘上。影响电极活性和稳定性的因素将通过研究催化剂/载体性能和电极制备参数对OR和OE反应的电极性能和性能的影响来评估。我们将研究具有最有前景的催化剂/载体粉末的活性层的O2-和空气充气气体扩散电极。该方案第二阶段的长期目标是基于最初的概念开发一种紧凑、高效、稳定和低成本的太阳能电池：与高孔n型CuInS2或Cu(In，Al)S2半导体连接的无溶剂凝胶电解质；催化剂CoS完成了器件。尽管使用凝胶电解液的优点(例如，机械稳定性)，但有机溶剂的蒸发会使凝胶干燥并降低电池性能，相反，电池性能应该得到提高。因此，将开发由溶解在常温离子液体(非常低的蒸汽压)中并并入聚合物基质中的新的氧化还原对组成的凝胶电解质。此外，还将优化CuInS_2的制备，并研究价格较低的Cu(In，Al)S_2。为了更好地了解影响器件性能的因素，将对一系列氧化还原电偶、无溶剂电解液、纳米CuInS2和Cu(In，Al)S2颗粒和薄膜以及包含最佳组件的太阳能电池进行表征。

Metal-air batteries are energy storage systems attractive for portable electronic devices and electric vehicles due to their high specific energy and to the low cost and low toxicity of the electrode materials. Solar cells are devices that convert directly renewable solar energy into electricity. In order to improve the power density and lifetime of metal-air batteries, the long term objective of this proposal (Phase I) is to develop highly active and stable bifunctional oxygen electrode materials. In these devices, oxygen reduction (OR) is occurring during the discharge and oxygen evolution (OE) during the recharge, at the same electrode material. Novel MyCu1-yCo2O4 electrocatalysts (M = Mn or Li) will be dispersed on an Nb-doped TiO2 conductive support and fixed on a glassy carbon disk. The factors responsible for the electrode activity and stability will be assessed by studying the effects of the catalyst/support properties and of the electrode preparation parameters on the electrode properties and performance for the OR and OE reactions. O2- and air-feeded gas diffusion electrodes with an active layer containing the most promising catalyst/support powders will be investigated. The long-term objective of Phase II of this proposal is to develop a compact, highly efficient, stable and low-cost solar cell based on an original concept: a solvent-free gel electrolyte in junction with highly porous n-type CuInS2 or Cu(In,Al)S2 semiconductor; the catalyst CoS completes the device. Despite the advantages of using a gel electrolyte (e.g., mechanical stability), evaporation of the organic solvent will dry the gel and decrease the cell performance that should, on the contrary, be enhanced. Gel electrolytes, composed of new redox couples dissolved in an ambient temperature ionic liquid (very low vapor pressure) and incorporated in a polymer matrix, will therefore be developed. Also, the preparation of CuInS2 will be optimized and less expensive Cu(In,Al)S2 will be investigated. In order to get a better understanding of the factors responsible for the device performance, a series of redox couples, solvent-free electrolytes, nanosized CuInS2 and Cu(In,Al)S2 particles and films, and solar cells incorporating the optimal components will be characterized.