Dilute nitride III-V nanowires for high-efficiency intermediate-band photovoltaic cells: Materials requirements, self-assembly methods and properties

Author(s):  
Paola Prete ◽  
Nico Lovergine
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaozhi Xu ◽  
Jiajie Wang ◽  
Awu Zhou ◽  
Siyuan Dong ◽  
Kaiqiang Shi ◽  
...  

AbstractMembrane-based gas separation exhibits many advantages over other conventional techniques; however, the construction of membranes with simultaneous high selectivity and permeability remains a major challenge. Herein, (LDH/FAS)n-PDMS hybrid membranes, containing two-dimensional sub-nanometre channels were fabricated via self-assembly of unilamellar layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets and formamidine sulfinic acid (FAS), followed by spray-coating with a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) layer. A CO2 transmission rate for (LDH/FAS)25-PDMS of 7748 GPU together with CO2 selectivity factors (SF) for SF(CO2/H2), SF(CO2/N2) and SF(CO2/CH4) mixtures as high as 43, 86 and 62 respectively are observed. The CO2 permselectivity outperforms most reported systems and is higher than the Robeson or Freeman upper bound limits. These (LDH/FAS)n-PDMS membranes are both thermally and mechanically robust maintaining their highly selective CO2 separation performance during long-term operational testing. We believe this highly-efficient CO2 separation performance is based on the synergy of enhanced solubility, diffusivity and chemical affinity for CO2 in the sub-nanometre channels.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rohith Mittapally ◽  
Byungjun Lee ◽  
Linxiao Zhu ◽  
Amin Reihani ◽  
Ju Won Lim ◽  
...  

AbstractThermophotovoltaic approaches that take advantage of near-field evanescent modes are being actively explored due to their potential for high-power density and high-efficiency energy conversion. However, progress towards functional near-field thermophotovoltaic devices has been limited by challenges in creating thermally robust planar emitters and photovoltaic cells designed for near-field thermal radiation. Here, we demonstrate record power densities of ~5 kW/m2 at an efficiency of 6.8%, where the efficiency of the system is defined as the ratio of the electrical power output of the PV cell to the radiative heat transfer from the emitter to the PV cell. This was accomplished by developing novel emitter devices that can sustain temperatures as high as 1270 K and positioning them into the near-field (<100 nm) of custom-fabricated InGaAs-based thin film photovoltaic cells. In addition to demonstrating efficient heat-to-electricity conversion at high power density, we report the performance of thermophotovoltaic devices across a range of emitter temperatures (~800 K–1270 K) and gap sizes (70 nm–7 µm). The methods and insights achieved in this work represent a critical step towards understanding the fundamental principles of harvesting thermal energy in the near-field.


Materials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 502
Author(s):  
Liangliang Yue ◽  
Haolan Li ◽  
Qi Sun ◽  
Xiaogang Luo ◽  
Fengshou Wu ◽  
...  

Cancer is one of the major diseases threatening human health. Traditional cancer treatments have notable side-effects as they can damage the immune system. Recently, phototherapy, as a potential strategy for clinical cancer therapy, has received wide attention due to its minimal invasiveness and high efficiency. Herein, a small organic molecule (PTA) with a D-A-D structure was prepared via a Sonogashira coupling reaction between the electron-withdrawing dibromo-perylenediimide and electron-donating 4-ethynyl-N,N-diphenylaniline. The amphiphilic organic molecule was then transformed into nanoparticles (PTA-NPs) through the self-assembling method. Upon laser irradiation at 635 nm, PTA-NPs displayed a high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE = 43%) together with efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The fluorescence images also indicated the production of ROS in cancer cells with PTA-NPs. In addition, the biocompatibility and photocytotoxicity of PTA-NPs were evaluated by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and live/dead cell co-staining test. Therefore, the as-prepared organic nanomaterials were demonstrated as promising nanomaterials for cancer phototherapy in the clinic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 6-26
Author(s):  
V. A. Burmistrov ◽  
V. V. Aleksandriiskii ◽  
I. V. Novikov ◽  
O. I. Koifman

Induction of helical mesophases by incorporating chiral dopants into the nematics matrix is the promising modern trends in the chemistry of liquid crystals. This process is associated with a unique phenomenon - an amplification of chirality in liquid-crystalline phases, which ensures the detection of enantiomers by their chiral induction, much more sensitive than other methods. The relevance of this approach is due to the need to create perspective electro-optical devices operating with ultra-low control voltages based on twist effects, chromatographic stationary phases with high chiral selectivity, flexible magnets, photo-sensitive nanostructures, and other smart LC materials. The successful solution of these problems is impossible without experimental research and theoretical comprehension of the mechanisms of third level chiral transfer optically active dopant – nematic liquid crystal. In the last decade, a large number of works have appeared on the solution of these problems. This review is devoted to a generalization of the experimental results and a theoretical description of the transfer of molecular chirality to orientationally ordered systems with the participation of both chiral molecular substituents with an asymmetric carbon atom and planar or quasi-planar fragments chirally distorted relative to each other. The stereochemical aspects of induction associated with the structural correspondences of the dopant and nematic liquid crystal, as well as the main classes of optically active additives, are discussed. Application of metal complexes, both Werner and macroheterocyclic, are presented. Special attention is paid to the results of the mechanisms study of chiral transfer due to various intermolecular interactions: hydrogen bonding, axial coordination, and the formation of inclusion compounds. The high efficiency of induction of spiral mesophases has been demonstrated with a combination of different self-assembly mechanisms in liquid crystal - chiral additive systems.


2014 ◽  
pp. 406-429
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Okada ◽  
Katsuhisa Yoshida ◽  
Yasushi Shoji

Advanced concepts for high efficiency solar cells such as hot carrier effects, Multi-Exciton Generation (MEG), and Intermediate-Band (IB) absorption in low-dimensional nanostructures are under focused research topics in recent years. Among various potential approaches, this chapter is devoted to the device physics and development of the state-of-the-art technologies for quantum dot-based IB solar cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (20) ◽  
pp. 9735-9740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tran Ngoc Huan ◽  
Daniel Alves Dalla Corte ◽  
Sarah Lamaison ◽  
Dilan Karapinar ◽  
Lukas Lutz ◽  
...  

Conversion of carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons using solar energy is an attractive strategy for storing such a renewable source of energy into the form of chemical energy (a fuel). This can be achieved in a system coupling a photovoltaic (PV) cell to an electrochemical cell (EC) for CO2 reduction. To be beneficial and applicable, such a system should use low-cost and easily processable photovoltaic cells and display minimal energy losses associated with the catalysts at the anode and cathode and with the electrolyzer device. In this work, we have considered all of these parameters altogether to set up a reference PV–EC system for CO2 reduction to hydrocarbons. By using the same original and efficient Cu-based catalysts at both electrodes of the electrolyzer, and by minimizing all possible energy losses associated with the electrolyzer device, we have achieved CO2 reduction to ethylene and ethane with a 21% energy efficiency. Coupled with a state-of-the-art, low-cost perovskite photovoltaic minimodule, this system reaches a 2.3% solar-to-hydrocarbon efficiency, setting a benchmark for an inexpensive all–earth-abundant PV–EC system.


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