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| UPDATED DECEMBER 10, 2005 |
| NANO-PROPRIETARY Silicon nanoparticles embedded in polymer matrix United States Patent Application 20040126582 Ng, Kwok; et al., July 1, 2004 Abstract An organic polymer is used to disperse nanoparticles, such as silicon nanoparticles. The polymer matrix separates the silicon nanoparticles from each other, thus preventing them from aggregating to form clusters. The resulting silicon nanoparticles can then photoluminescence at the desired wavelengths. Such a polymer matrix with evenly dispersed silicon nanoparticles can also be used within a solar cell to increase the efficiency of such solar cell. The above NNPP development could make a good fit/connection/working relationship/partnership with Hydrogen Solar of the UK! HYDROGEN SOLAR Nanotech aids green hydrogen production WO 01/02624 TANDEM CELL FOR WATER CLEAVAGE BY VISIBLE LIGHT WO 02/09876 PHOTOCATALYTIC FILM OF IRON OXIDE, ELECTRODE WITH SUCH A PHOTOCATALYTIC FILM, METHOD OF PRODUCING SUCH FILMS, PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELL WITH THE ELECTRODE AND PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEM WITH THE CELL, FOR THE CLEAVAGE OF WATER INTO HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN |
| University of Toronto, Ted Sargent Nanotechnologists' new plastic can see in the dark "Our calculations show that, with further improvements in efficiency, combining infrared and visible photovoltaics could allow up to 30 per cent of the sun's radiant energy to be harnessed, compared to six per cent in today's best plastic solar cells." Link to article Link to second article Link to ZD Net article Link to Business Week article Link to Nature Materials abstract Link to Selected Biographical Information and Media Clippings |
| Boston College - Physics Team Sees Potential for 'Perfect' Solar Cell Boston College physicists have teamed on a microscopic antenna that captures visible light in much the same way that radio antennas capture radio waves. They say the device, an array of carbon nanotubes one-70th of a human hair in length, may significantly advance the conversion of solar energy into electricity, and allow cable hookups thousands of times speedier than current broadband. "An ultimate aim is the perfect solar cell that can convert light into electricity," at a much higher rate of efficiency than conventional solar cells, said Prof. Kris Kempa (Physics), a lead author of an article describing the invention in the Sept. 27 issue of Applied Physics Letters. Link to article Link to article with more details Link to Applied Physics Letters |
| Georgia Tech - Carbon Nanotube Structures - Solar Power for Soldiers Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) scientists have demonstrated an ability to precisely grow "towers" composed of carbon nanotubes atop silicon wafers. The work could be the basis for more efficient solar power for soldiers in the field. Link to article |
| Nanosolar Inc. - Breakthrough in solar photovoltaics A Palo Alto (California ) start-up, named Nanosolar Inc., founded in 2002, claims that it has developed a commercial scale technology that can deliver solar electricity at 5 cents per kilowatt-hour. Link to article United States Patent Application 20040250848 Kind Code A1 Sager, Brian M. ; et al. December 16, 2004 NANO-ARCHITECTED/ASSEMBLED SOLAR ELECTRICITY CELL Abstract Nano-architected/assembled solar cells and methods for their manufacture are disclosed. The solar cells comprise oriented arrays of nanostructures wherein two or more different materials are regularly arrayed and wherein the presence of two different materials alternates. The two or more materials have different electron affinities. The two materials may be in the form of matrixed arrays of nanostructures. The presence of the two different materials may alternate within distances of between about 1 nm and about 100 nm. An orientation can be imposed on the array, e.g. through solution deposition surfactant temptation or other methods. Inventors: Sager, Brian M.; (Palo Alto, CA) ; Roscheisen, Martin R.; (San Francisco, CA) [0046] In one example, among others, of the dip-coating process, a substrate is first coated with ethoxy polysiloxane surfactants in an ethanol solution. Upon removal from the dipping solution, the ethanol evaporates within 60-120 seconds. As evaporation proceeds, the molecules with a siloxane-surfactant micelle rearrange themselves to minimize their collective energy level. This process continues as the molecules further rearrange their nanoscale organization into highly regular liquid-crystalline mesophases. The resulting mesoporous films contain a high and tunable density of regular pores spaced in 5 nm repeating patterns, with pore diameters of 5 nm. Such a process may achieve variability in pore diameter of less than 2%. The resulting nanoscale architecture is highly reproducible, and can be permanently fixed by heating. The resulting nanoscale architecture is extremely stable and mechanically robust. Link to patent filing |
| NNPP - Solar R&D Nanotexturing for improving photovoltaic cells Polymer nanoparticle composites for solar cells Lynn Loo - UT(Austin) - Polymer Chips - Imprint Technology - Solar Cells These are polymer chips, otherwise known as plastic. A particularly promising technology, ...... a young Assistant Professor at the Institute of Materials at the University of Austin. Link to PDF file |
| Sandia/Georgia Tech/Shelnutt/Wang/Splitting Water/Porphyrin Nanotubes The key to making water-splitting nanodevices is the discovery by Zhongchun Wang of nanotubes composed entirely of porphyrins. Wang is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Georgia working in Shelnutt�s Sandia research group. Shelnutt says the nanodevice could efficiently use the entire visible and ultraviolet parts of the solar spectrum absorbed by the tubes to produce hydrogen, one of the Holy Grails of chemistry. These nanotube devices could be suspended in a solution and used for photocatalytic solar hydrogen production. Link to Sandia article Link to RB message |
| Highly Efficient Multiple Exciton Generation in Colloidal PbSe and PbS Quantum Dots Randy J. Ellingson, Matthew C. Beard, Justin C. Johnson, Pingrong Yu, Olga I. Micic, Arthur J. Nozik, Andrew Shabaev, and Alexander L. Efros "We have shown that solar cells based on quantum dots theoretically could convert more than 65 percent of the sun's energy into electricity, approximately doubling the efficiency of solar cells," Nozik said. The best cells today convert about 33 percent of the sun's energy into electricity. Link to article Link to Nano Letter |
| NANERGY (ObjectSoft/GEMZ Corp) About Nano-PV Films and Nanotechnology The products being developed, which will be acquired as part of this transaction, are believed to be the first to use PVNanofilm(TM), which combines thin films and nanotechnology so they can also work indoors in most lighting situations. PVNanofilms have elements below 1000 and even below 100 nanometers. The National Science Foundation (NSF) defines nanotechnology as consisting of components and elements 1000 nanometers and under. (1 nanometer is one billions of a meter or 10 Angstroms. Link �PV Nanofilms� for Consumer Applications The Company is proposing to use a novel technology developed by TSDC for the PV consumer applications. These �PV nanofilms� have the characteristics on a flexible substrate combining high efficiency with low light level sensitivity. Amorphous silicon has such low light level sensitivity; it operates down to one-thousandths of AN-1 light intensity. The PV nanofilms on a flexible substrate have this low light level sensitivity, but at an efficiency twice that of amorphous silicon and greater. R&D Efforts GEMZ Corp. realizes that to overcome the challenges in this program, it must partner with a technology company that can assemble a world class, multidisciplinary team to carry out the work. TSDC has done this by bringing together experts in carbon nanotubes, batteries, and electrodes. The experts come from both within Nanergy, in the US and in Hungary, and from two world-class scientific organizations in Hungary, the University of Szeged, and the Research Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science. Link |
| GE Global Research Develops 'Ideal' Carbon Nanotube Diode The discovery of a photovoltaic effect in our nanotube device could lead to exciting breakthroughs in solar cells that make them more efficient and a more viable alternative in the mainstream energy market. Link to article 1 Link to article 2 Link to APL abstract |
| University of Texas, Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CNT Sheets, Nanotech researchers report big breakthrough In lab tests, the sheets demonstrated solar cell capabilities, using sunlight to produce electricity. Link to article Link to Science abstract 1 Link to Science abstract 2 |