scholarly journals Design of Novel Metal Nanostructures for Broadband Solar Energy Conversion

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Kristine A. Zhang ◽  
David Ma ◽  
Ying-Chih Pu ◽  
Yat Li
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Light Absorption ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Metal Nanostructures

Solar power holds great potential as an alternative energy source, but current photovoltaic cells have much room for improvement in cost and efficiency. Our objective was to develop metal nanostructures whose surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectra closely match the solar spectrum to enhance light absorption and scattering. We employed the finite-difference time-domain simulation method to evaluate the effect of varying key parameters. A novel nanostructure with SPR absorption matching a region of the solar spectrum (300 to 1500 nm) that contains 90% of solar energy was successfully designed. This structure consists of a large gold-silica core-shell structure with smaller gold nanoparticles and nanorods on its surface. Such complex nanostructures are promising for broad and tunable absorption spectra. In addition, we investigated the SPR of silver nanoparticle arrays, which can achieve scattering close to the solar spectrum. We demonstrated an improvement in efficiency of over 30% with optimal nanoparticle radius and periods of 75 nm and 325 nm, respectively. In combination, our studies enable high-efficiency, tunable, and cost-effective enhancement of both light absorption and scattering, which has potential applications in solar energy conversion as well as biomedical imaging.

Non-native Co-, Mn-, and Ti-oxyhydroxide nanocrystals in ferritin for high efficiency solar energy conversion

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 015703 ◽  
Author(s):  
S D Erickson ◽  
T J Smith ◽  
L M Moses ◽  
R K Watt ◽  
J S Colton
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion

scholarly journals Metamaterial Receivers for High Efficiency Concentrated Solar Energy Conversion

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julius E. Yellowhair ◽  
Hoyeong Kwon ◽  
Andrea Alu ◽  
Robert L. Jarecki ◽  
Subhash L. Shinde
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Concentrated Solar Energy

Photo-assisted Charge/discharge Li-organic Battery with a Charge-separated and Redox-active C60@Porous Organic Cage Cathode

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Zhang ◽  
Kongzhao Su ◽  
Aya Mohamed ◽  
Caiping Liu ◽  
Qing-Fu Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Redox Active ◽  
Energy Conversion And Storage ◽  
Organic Batteries ◽  
A Charge ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Charge Discharge

Photo-assisted Li-organic batteries provide an attractive approach for solar energy conversion and storage, while the challenge lies in the design of high-efficiency organic cathodes. Herein, a charge-separated and redox-active C60@porous...

scholarly journals Nanofluid Development Using Silver Nanoparticles and Organic-Luminescent Molecules for Solar-Thermal and Hybrid Photovoltaic-Thermal Applications

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Walshe ◽  
Pauraic Mc Carron ◽  
Conor McLoughlin ◽  
Sarah McCormack ◽  
John Doran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Ag Nanoparticles ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Spectral Window ◽  
High Heat Transfer

Exploiting solar energy using photo-thermal (PT) and/or hybridised photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) systems can represent a viable alternative to the growing demand for renewable energy. For large-scale implementation, such systems require thermal fluids able to enhance the combined conversion efficiency achievable by controlling the ‘thermal’ and ‘electrical’ components of the solar spectrum. Nanofluids are typically employed for these purposes and they should exhibit high heat-transfer capabilities and optical properties tuned towards the peak performance spectral window of the photovoltaic (PV) component. In this work, novel nanofluids, composed of highly luminescent organic molecules and Ag nanoparticles dispersed within a base fluid, were tested for PT and PVT applications. These nanofluids were designed to mimic the behaviour of luminescent down-shifting molecules while offering enhanced thermo-physical characteristics over the host base fluid. The nanofluids’ conversion efficiency was evaluated under a standard AM1.5G weighted solar spectrum. The results revealed that the Ag nanoparticles’ inclusion in the composite fluid has the potential to improve the total solar energy conversion. The nanoparticles’ presence minimizes the losses in the electrical power component of the PVT systems as the thermal conversion increases. The enhanced performances recorded suggest that these nanofluids could represent suitable candidates for solar energy conversion applications.

Hierarchical macro-mesoporous g-C3N4 with an inverse opal structure and vacancies for high-efficiency solar energy conversion and environmental remediation

Nanoscale ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (43) ◽  
pp. 20638-20647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunhao Tian ◽  
Liang Zhou ◽  
Qiaohong Zhu ◽  
Juying Lei ◽  
Lingzhi Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Inverse Opal ◽  
Excellent Performance ◽  
Inverse Opal Structure ◽  
Antibiotic Degradation

Hierarchical macro-mesoporous g-C3N4 with an inverse opal structure and vacancies was prepared and exhibited excellent performance for photocatalytic H2 production and antibiotic degradation.

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