Nanoparticle Breakthrough Can Make Higher Efficiency Solar Cells and Speed Development of Nanotechnology
The chemists have manufactured nanoparticles of the semiconductor copper indium sulfide (identified here as “quantum dots”), a key component of advanced solar cells.
A video on Precision nanoparticles is after the jump.
Precision Nanoparticles’ most immediate applications come photovoltaics. The technology could also greatly advance ultracapacitor research. Ultracapacitors store electrical energy quickly and effectively, and they may someday replace batteries in electric cars and plug-in hybrids. At least one material, vanadium nitride, has much higher ultracapacitance in nano-form — but only if the nanoparticles are of strictly uniform size.
R&D magazine featured the precision nanoparticle production process.
Researchers were able to duplicate and formalize the supercritical fluids-based technique, which can now produce affordable, uniform (+/- 0.2 nm) particles in a designated diameter and a wide range of sizes (less than 1 to 100 nm). The process does not require special handling such as cleanrooms, as is common with the materials currently used to manufacture solar cells and other products. This reduces capital and operating costs associated with deploying solar cells. The process is also cost effective by an order of magnitude compared to other methods. A gram of copper indium disulfide nanoparticles, for example, which is difficult to produce at high quality and high quantity, can be made for just dollars.
FURTHER READING
R&D magazine 100 Winners by Category
Precision Nanoparticles were one of the process science R&D magazine winners
