Synthesis of nanostructured photoactive films with controlled morphology by a flame aerosol reactor

a technology of nanostructured photoactive films and flame aerosols, which is applied in the direction of catalyst activation/preparation, electrolytic capacitors, physical/chemical process catalysts, etc., can solve the problems of high production cost of silicon-based solar cells, difficult control of metal species particle size and nanostructured morphology, and methods that are not well suited to inexpensive industrial scaleup, etc., to improve nanostructured photo-watersplitting cells, improve nanostructured p/n junction solar cells

Inactive Publication Date: 2010-12-09
WASHINGTON UNIV IN SAINT LOUIS
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  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

One of the major obstacles to widespread harvesting of solar energy is the high production cost of silicon-based solar cells.
Problematically, CVD and CCVD generally involve multi-step processes, such as deposition followed by sintering, that can take from several hours to days to complete, and metal species particle size and nanostructured morphology are difficult to control.
Those methods are not well suited to the inexpensive industrial scaleup that would be required for widespread implementation.

Method used

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  • Synthesis of nanostructured photoactive films with controlled morphology by a flame aerosol reactor
  • Synthesis of nanostructured photoactive films with controlled morphology by a flame aerosol reactor
  • Synthesis of nanostructured photoactive films with controlled morphology by a flame aerosol reactor

Examples

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example 1

[0078]The experimental apparatus comprised a precursor feed system, a FLAR and a temperature controlled deposition substrate as generally depicted in FIG. 1. The precursor feed system comprised a bubbler containing titanium isopropoxide (TTIP, Aldrich: 205273, 97% purity) through which argon (Grade 4.8) was bubbled at varying flow rates. The temperature of the bubbler was maintained at 30° C. To prevent condensation of the TTIP, the lines leading up to the flame reactor were heated to approximately 50° C. The TTIP feed rate was calculated based on the saturation pressure and was assumed to be proportional to the argon flow rate through the bubbler. An additional argon line was added so the total argon flow rate could be held constant at 2.0 Lpm (liters per minute at STP) while varying the flow through the bubbler. The FLAR was a premixed methane-oxygen burner made of a 0.95 cm (⅜ inch) O.D. stainless steel tube into which was placed three 0.32 cm (⅛ inch) tubes designed to achieve a...

example 2

[0096]A FLAR was used to synthesize TiO2 films with controlled morphology and thickness to evaluate the optoelectronic properties of watersplitting and photovoltaic performance. A FLAR was assembled comprising a precursor feed system, premixed methane-oxygen flame and a water-cooled deposition substrate (FIG. 23). The FLAR had digital mass flow controllers (MKS, Wilmington Mass.) to control the processes gases methane, oxygen, dilution-argon and carrier-argon. TTIP (Aldrich: 205273, 97% pure), was used to synthesize TiO2 in the gas-phase. The precursor was delivered to the flame region by passing carrier-argon through a homemade bubbler that was maintained at 37° C. The carrier-argon flow rate was kept constant at 2.0 Lpm (at STP), which corresponded to a TTIP feed rate of approximately 1.2 mmol / hr, based on the vapor pressure of TTIP. The methane, oxygen and dilution-argon flow rates were kept constant at 0.9, 2.7 and 2.0 Lpm, respectively. All 4 process gasses were combined and se...

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Abstract

An improved process for the preparation of nanostructured metal species-based films in a flame aerosol reactor is provided. The process comprises combusting vaporized metal precursor, vaporized fuel and vaporized oxidizer streams to form metal species-based nanoparticles in a flame that are deposited onto a temperature controlled support surface and sintered to form the metal species-based nanostructured film. Improved nanostructured photo-watersplitting cells having a sunlight to hydrogen conversion efficiency of from about 10% to about 15%, dye sensitized solar cells having a sunlight to electricity conversion efficiency of from about 10% to about 20%, and nanostructured p / n junction solar cells having a sunlight to electricity conversion of from about 10% to about 20% are provided. Each cell type comprises a nanostructured metal oxide film having continuous individual columnar structures having an average width (w) and grain size criterion (X3) wherein w / 10 is greater than X3.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention generally relates to a single step process for the preparation of photoactive films using a flame aerosol reactor. The present invention also generally relates to films having morphology resulting in high solar conversion efficiencies.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]In recent years, solar cells for the conversion of photons into electric energy have drawn attention as an alternative energy source in response to concerns about environmental problems and energy depletion associated with fossil fuels.[0003]One of the major obstacles to widespread harvesting of solar energy is the high production cost of silicon-based solar cells. Low cost alternatives include dye-sensitized solar (“DSS”) cells and photocatalytic watersplitting (“PWS”) cells. Both types of cells use a photoelectrical process comprising a photocatalyst, typically immobilized as a film, to covert solar energy into a more usable form. DSS cells generate an electric current...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H01L31/0256H01L31/00C25B9/00C23C4/08C25B9/17
CPCB01J21/063B01J35/06B01J37/349B82Y30/00Y02E10/542H01G9/2031H01L31/032H01L31/035281C25B1/003C25B1/04C25B11/02Y02E10/547Y02E60/36C25B1/55C25B9/17H01L31/0324H01L31/03529H01L31/068
Inventor THIMSEN, ELIJAH JAMESBISWAS, PRATIM
Owner WASHINGTON UNIV IN SAINT LOUIS
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