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Current methods for solar energy conversion to electricity, fuel, and heat operate at remarkably low efficiency: 25% for expensive silicon solar cells in the laboratory (18% in commercial systems), 11% for inexpensive dye-sensitized solar cells, 2-5% for organic solar cells, less than 10% for thermoelectrics, and less than a few percent for bio-inspired solar fuel production. The ANSER Center is organized around four basic research thrusts, each dealing with a solar energy conversion chain culminating in a specific end use and application:
Bio-inspired Systems for Solar Fuels Formation
ANSER will develop new nanoscale molecular materials based on self-assembly and tailored environments as a means to efficiently collect photons, separate charge, and transport charge (or energy) to catalysts for water splitting to produce clean hydrogen using multi-electron metal redox catalysts.
Organic Photovoltaics
ANSER will address nanoscopic interfacial issues underlying organic photovoltaic cell performance—controlling band offsets between transparent conducting electrodes and organics, addressing charge injection/extraction/recombination limitations at interfaces, and enhancing exciton dissociation and carrier mobility via electrode surface-anchored, self-assembled donor-acceptor arrays.
Nanostructured Materials of Solar Cells
ANSER will investigate dye-sensitized solar cells with the goal to create ordered, interdigitated architectures with ultra-thin layers to reduce electron transport distances and to suppress loss mechanisms. A related focus is on understanding and optimizing the dynamics and kinetics of electron transfer and transport at heterojunctions.
Thermoelectric Materials
ANSER will study the basic understanding needed to prepare high-temperature materials that directly convert solar heat into electricity. Targets include cubic nanostructured chalcogenides and low-dimensional materials incorporating 2D quantum-sized layers, with first-principles theory playing a key role in predicting and interpreting properties.
March 2009
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