Download or read book Synthesis and Characterization of Semiconductor Thin Films for Photoelectrochemical Energy Conversion written by Nathan Taylor Hahn and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The field of solar energy conversion has experienced resurgence in recent years due to mounting concerns related to fossil fuel consumption. The sheer quantity of available solar energy and corresponding opportunity for technological improvement has motivated extensive study of novel light-absorbing semiconductors for solar energy conversion. Often, these studies have focused on new ways of synthesizing and altering thin film semiconductor materials with unique compositions and morphologies in order to optimize them for higher conversion efficiencies. In this dissertation, we discuss the synthesis and electrochemical characterization of a variety of candidate semiconductor materials exhibiting promising characteristics for photoelectrochemical solar energy conversion. Three specific methods of thin film deposition are detailed. The first is a physical vapor deposition technique used to independently tune the morphology and composition of hematite ([alpha]-Fe2O3) based materials. Because of hematite's poor electronic properties, these modifications were able to significantly improve its performance as a photoanode for water oxidation. The second technique is electrodeposition, which was employed to deposit the novel ternary metal oxide, CuBi2O4. The study of these films, along with those prepared by physical vapor deposition, provided insight into the factors limiting the ability of this photo-active material to function as a photocathode for hydrogen evolution from water. The third technique is chemical spray pyrolysis, which was employed to deposit and optimize films of the bismuth chalco-halides BiOI and BiSI. These studies were used to obtain previously unknown properties of these materials relevant to their utilization in photoelectrochemical cells. The manipulation of deposition temperature had significant effects on these properties and dictated the films' overall photoconversion performance.

Download or read book Synthesis and Characterization of Dyes with Solar Energy Applications written by Bradley J. Brennan and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The sun provides Earth with a virtually limitless source of energy capable of sustaining all of humanity's needs. Photosynthetic organisms have exploited this energy for eons. However, efficiently converting solar radiation into a readily available and easily transportable form is complex. New materials with optimized physical, electrochemical, and photophysical properties are at the forefront of organic solar energy conversion research. In the work presented herein, porphyrin and organometallic dyes with widely-varied properties were studied for solar energy applications. In one project, porphyrins and porphyrin-fullerene dyads with aniline-like features were polymerized via electrochemical methods into semiconductive thin films. These were shown to have high visible light absorption and stable physical and electrochemical properties. However, experimentation using porphyrin polymer films as both the light absorber and semiconductor in a photoelectrochemical cell showed relatively low efficiency of converting absorbed solar energy into electricity. In separate work, tetra-aryl porphyrin derivatives were examined in conjunction with wide-bandgap semiconductive oxides TiO2 and SnO2. Carboxylic acid-, phosphonic acid-, and silatrane-functionalized porphyrins were obtained or synthesized for attachment to the metal oxide species. Electrochemical, photophysical, photoelectrochemical, and surface stability studies of the porphyrins were performed for comparative purposes. The order of surface linkage stability on TiO2 in alkaline conditions, from most stable to least, was determined to be siloxane> phosphonate> carboxylate. Finally, porphyrin dimers fused via their meso and beta positions were synthesized using a chemical oxidative synthesis with a copper(II) oxidant. The molecules exhibit strong absorption in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions as well as interesting electrochemical properties suggesting possible applications in light harvesting and redox catalysis.

Download or read book Photocatalytic Semiconductors written by Aracely Hernández-Ramírez and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-11-17 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This critical volume examines the different methods used for the synthesis of a great number of photocatalysts, including TiO2, ZnO and other modified semiconductors, as well as characterization techniques used for determining the optical, structural and morphological properties of the semiconducting materials. Additionally, the authors discuss photoelectrochemical methods for determining the light activity of the photocatalytic semiconductors by means of measurement of properties such as band gap energy, flat band potential and kinetics of hole and electron transfer. Photocatalytic Semiconductors: Synthesis, Characterization and Environmental Applications provide an overview of the semiconductor materials from first- to third-generation photocatalysts and their applications in wastewater treatment and water disinfection. The book further presents economic and toxicological aspects in the production and application of photocatalytic materials.

Download or read book Thin Films for Energy Harvesting Conversion and Storage written by Zhong Chen and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2019-11-07 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Efficient clean energy harvesting, conversion, and storage technologies are of immense importance for the sustainable development of human society. To this end, scientists have made significant advances in recent years regarding new materials and devices for improving the energy conversion efficiency for photovoltaics, thermoelectric generation, photoelectrochemical/electrolytic hydrogen generation, and rechargeable metal ion batteries. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for research scientists and engineers in these areas to demonstrate and exchange their latest research findings. This thematic topic undoubtedly represents an extremely important technological direction, covering materials processing, characterization, simulation, and performance evaluation of thin films used in energy harvesting, conversion, and storage.

Download or read book Study of Novel Metal Oxide Semiconductor Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications written by Tilak Poudel and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Solar hydrogen is one ideal and sustainable energy source to replace fossil fuel. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) cells normally generate electricity using sunlight, but it is renewable only as long as our sun shines. Converting sunlight into electricity is an efficient way to address energy crisis but harvesting solar energy in the form of chemical energy is a sustainable solution for fueling tomorrows. Storing energy in the form of hydrogen bond is more efficient not only because of its high energy density and but also it is a clean energy source. Hydrogen can be generated in a number of ways, including but not limited to steam reforming, thermolysis, and electrolysis. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is one of the most promising methods for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. In order to address the need for clean and renewable energy, recent trends in global CO2 emissions and energy production are analyzed, and the photoelectrochemical properties of multi-metal oxide based thin films are presented. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4), barium bismuth niobate (Ba2BiNbO6), and antimony vanadate (SbVO4) were investigated for use as photoelectrodes in PEC water splitting for solar hydrogen production. This dissertation starts with synthesis, deposition, and characterization of antimony vanadate and Sb alloyed bismuth vanadate thin films to observe their photoelectrochemical ability to split water. Antimony doping in bismuth vanadate thin films prompts to modify valence and conduction band edges of bismuth vanadate. It has been found that Sb alloying with less than 20% wt. improves the electron conductivity and consequently leads to significant enhancement of photocurrents without creating secondary phases. The hole mobility is further improved by incorporating NaF and metallic Ni on the surface of the electrode. The NaF incorporation is believed to reduce electron effective mass and therefore increased electron mobility by suppressing scattering centers. As a result, antimony doped thin films exhibited much improved performance in PEC water splitting as compared to pure sputtered BiVO4. The metallic Ni deposition on the surface of Sb-doped BiVO4 acted as electrode corrosion inhibitor. But we found that Ni topping can enhance the stability of electrode in strong acidic solutions at the cost of reducing its optical absorption and hence lowering its photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. However, surface modification of thin films using various stack structure and oxides coatings helped to enhance their stability along with the oxygen evolution catalysis. Large area Bi-based quaternary oxides (Ba2Bi1.4Nb0.6O6 and Ba2BiNbO6) were deposited using RF sputtering deposition and the effects of surface-modification was also investigated using various electrochemical methods. Thin film uniformity was obtained by incorporating oxygen gas in the sputtering plasma. Photoelectrochemical thin films with higher stability in aqueous solution and better corrosion resistant were fabricated, analyzed, and tested. Capacitance-voltage measurement was used to measure the chemical kinetics of interfacial electron transfer of the system. Charge-carrier mobility was extremely limited by the rate of recombination, while the surface chemistry was altered by using Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) catalysts. Using the OER catalysts significantly reduced the surface recombination losses thereby extending hole carrier lifetime. Finally, a novel, high-throughput, combinatorial approach for the material synthesis and screening of mixed-metal oxides for photoanode design was developed. This methodology relies on controlling stoichiometric ratio of different sputtering yield metal oxides. After fabrication, the photoelectrochemical properties of oxide electrodes can be fully characterized by using various optical and electrochemical technique.

Download or read book Photoelectrochemical Engineering for Solar Harvesting written by Samrana Kazim and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2024-06-24 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Photoelectrochemical Engineering for Solar Harvesting provides an up-to-date appraisal of the photon engineering of innovative catalysts for solar energy harvesting.Sunlight-driven fuel synthesis is the most sustainable and potentially economical option for producing energy vectors through water splitting. Thus this book focuses on the design of photocatalysts and water oxidation catalysts, as artificial photosynthesis and hydrogen fuel production via water oxidation (in place of fossil fuels) are two promising approaches towards renewable energy.The book critically analyzes the overall progress, potential challenges, and the possibility of industrialization of new catalysts in the near future. The primary emphasis of the discussion is on experimental approaches from materials synthesis to device applications, however, there will also be some introduction to relevant photochemistry concepts.Photoelectrochemical Engineering for Solar Harvesting is suitable for materials scientists and chemists who through the use of photonics are in continuous pursuit of improving the efficiencies of different devices used to capture solar energy for the generation of sustainable fuel. Covers design of innovative energy materials such as photocatalysts and water oxidation catalysts for solar energy harvesting Reviews briefly computational and theoretical approaches before providing comprehensive overview of experimental directions Provides information to guide photon and photoelectrochemical engineering of catalysts for solar application

Download or read book Synthesis and Characterization of Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Thin Films written by Sindhura Vadlamani and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Photoelectrochemical Solar Fuel Production written by Sixto Giménez and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 574 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the conversion for solar energy into renewable liquid fuels through electrochemical reactions. The first section of the book is devoted to the theoretical fundamentals of solar fuels production, focusing on the surface properties of semiconductor materials in contact with aqueous solutions and the reaction mechanisms. The second section describes a collection of current, relevant characterization techniques, which provide essential information of the band structure of the semiconductors and carrier dynamics at the interface semiconductor. The third, and last section comprises the most recent developments in materials and engineered structures to optimize the performance of solar-to-fuel conversion devices.

Download or read book Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide Thin Films for Photovoltaics written by Jonathan J. Scragg and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-09-01 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jonathan Scragg documents his work on a very promising material suitable for use in solar cells. Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide (CZTS) is a low cost, earth-abundant material suitable for large scale deployment in photovoltaics. Jonathan pioneered and optimized a low cost route to this material involving electroplating of the three metals concerned, followed by rapid thermal processing (RTP) in sulfur vapour. His beautifully detailed RTP studies – combined with techniques such as XRD, EDX and Raman – reveal the complex relationships between composition, processing and photovoltaic performance. This exceptional thesis contributes to the development of clean, sustainable and alternative sources of energy

Download or read book Solar Energy Update written by and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Green Engineering and Technology written by Om Prakash Jena and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2021-06-15 with total page 395 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Escalating urbanization and energy consumption have increased the demand for green engineering solutions and intelligent systems to mitigate environmental hazards and offer a more sustainable future. Green engineering technologies help to create sustainable, eco-friendly designs and solutions with the aid of updated tools, methods, designs, and innovations. These technologies play a significant role in optimizing sustainability in various areas of energy, agriculture, waste management, and bioremediation and include green computing and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Green Engineering and Technology: Innovations, Design, and Architectural Implementation examines the most recent advancements in green technology, across multiple industries, and outlines the opportunities of emerging and future innovations, as well as practical real-world implementation. Features: Provides different models capable of fulfilling the criteria of energy efficiency, health and safety, renewable resources, and more Examines recycling, waste management, and bioremediation techniques as well as waste-to-energy technologies Presents business cases for adopting green technologies including electronics, manufacturing, and infrastructure projects Reviews green technologies for applications such as energy production, building construction, transportation, and industrialization Green Engineering and Technology: Innovations, Design, and Architectural Implementation serves as a useful and practical guide for practicing engineers, researchers, and students alike.

Download or read book Thermoelectric Thin Films written by Paolo Mele and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-07-17 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book will provide readers with deep insight into the intriguing science of thermoelectric thin films. It serves as a fundamental information source on the techniques and methodologies involved in thermoelectric thin film growth, characterization and device processing. This book involves widespread contributions on several categories of thermoelectric thin films: oxides, chalcogenides, iodates, nitrides and polymers. This will serve as an invaluable resource for experts to consolidate their knowledge and will provide insight and inspiration to beginners wishing to learn about thermoelectric thin films. Provides a single-source reference on a wide spectrum of topics related to thermoelectric thin films, from organic chemistry to devices, from physical chemistry to applied physics, from synthesis to device implementation; Covers several categories of thermoelectric thin films based on different material approaches such as oxides, chalcogenides, iodates, nitrides and polymers; Discusses synthesis, characterization, and device processing of thermoelectric thin films, as well as the nanoengineering approach to tailor the properties of the used materials at the nanoscale level.

Download or read book Proceedings of the Symposium on Electrode Materials and Processes for Energy Conversion and Storage written by Supramaniam Srinivasan and published by The Electrochemical Society. This book was released on 1994 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Thin Films written by Fatma Sarf and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2024-01-17 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focuses on the growth of nanomaterials as thin films. It covers the recent development of thin films using different techniques, such as electrodeposition. It also discusses the widespread use of electrochemical and magnetic applications. This book brings together multidisciplinary chapters written by leading specialists in the field.

Download or read book Ceramic Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Photoelectrochemistry Fundamental Processes and Measurement Techniques written by and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 740 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Springer Handbook of Electrochemical Energy written by Cornelia Breitkopf and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-12-05 with total page 1019 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive handbook covers all fundamentals of electrochemistry for contemporary applications. It provides a rich presentation of related topics of electrochemistry with a clear focus on energy technologies. It covers all aspects of electrochemistry starting with theoretical concepts and basic laws of thermodynamics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and multiscale modeling. It further gathers the basic experimental methods such as potentiometry, reference electrodes, ion-sensitive electrodes, voltammetry and amperometry. The contents cover subjects related to mass transport, the electric double layer, ohmic losses and experimentation affecting electrochemical reactions. These aspects of electrochemistry are especially examined in view of specific energy technologies including batteries, polymer electrolyte and biological fuel cells, electrochemical capacitors, electrochemical hydrogen production and photoelectrochemistry. Organized in six parts, the overall complexity of electrochemistry is presented and makes this handbook an authoritative reference and definitive source for advanced students, professionals and scientists particularly interested in industrial and energy applications.