New Iron (II) Oxide Alloys for Solar Energy Conversion Devices: Reduced Cost and Enhanced Efficiency

Web Published:

1/10/2012

Description:

Princeton Docket # 12-2773

Solar energy conversion devices include photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical cells and photocatalysts, which convert the energy of sunlight into electricity and produce fuels from carbon dioxide and water. Solar energy conversion devices exhibit different energy conversion efficiencies and costs. Currently, the most prevalent semiconductor material used in the solar industry is (poly)crystalline silicon for photovoltaics, which requires an expensive purification process to obtain a pure and defect-free material. First row transition metal oxides are potentially much more affordable, because of their reasonable abundance, simple synthesis, and potential low cost for scaled-up manufacturing. However, transition metal oxides often suffer from several limitations, including large band gaps, inadequate band positions, thermal instability and low conductivity that limit their efficiency.

Using first-principles quantum mechanics calculations, researchers at Princeton University have identified new iron (II) oxide alloys for the next-generation solar energy conversion devices. These materials are composed of abundant and non-toxic minerals, enabling low manufacturing costs. Furthermore, these materials are designed to have optimal band gaps near the visible range of the solar energy spectrum (maximum photon intensity), tunable band positions, enhanced mobility (via reduced electron-hole recombination rate), and thermodynamic stability, which should improve photon-to-current/fuel conversion efficiency.

Applications

· Semiconductors in photovoltaic cells

· Electrodes in photoelectrochemical cells for electricity and/or fuel production

· Photocatalysts for fuel production

Advantages

· Lower cost

· Improved efficiency

· Optimal band gaps

· Tunable band positions

· Enhanced mobility

· Thermodynamic

Intellectual Property Status