Projects
Projects: Projects for Investigator |
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| Reference Number | EP/M024938/1 | |
| Title | Plasma-based synthesis of low-cost and environmentally friendly quantum dots with tailored energy band structure | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics) 100%; | |
| Research Types | Basic and strategic applied research 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry) 50%; PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics) 50%; |
|
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Dr D Mariotti No email address given Nanotechnology and Adv Materials Inst University of Ulster |
|
| Award Type | Standard | |
| Funding Source | EPSRC | |
| Start Date | 27 July 2015 | |
| End Date | 30 September 2019 | |
| Duration | 50 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £419,837 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Energy | |
| Region | Northern Ireland | |
| Programme | Energy : Energy | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Dr D Mariotti , Nanotechnology and Adv Materials Inst, University of Ulster (99.999%) |
| Other Investigator | Professor P Maguire , Nanotechnology and Adv Materials Inst, University of Ulster (0.001%) |
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| Industrial Collaborator | Project Contact , University of Ulster (0.000%) Project Contact , University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), USA (0.000%) Project Contact , Sharp Laboratories of Europe Ltd (0.000%) Project Contact , National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan (0.000%) |
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| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | ||
| Abstract | Current photovoltaic (PV) technologies rely on physical principles that fundamentally limit the maximum solar cell efficiency, i.e. first and second generation technologies cannot produce efficiencies above ~31%. Both silicon-based and non-silicon devices are progressively approaching this limit with improved stability and device performance at reduced costs. It follows that significant improvement in device efficiency can be achieved only by deploying technologies that rely on new physical principles, so called third generation PV; this has been clearly highlighted in relevant UK and international PV roadmaps. In third generation solar cells quantum dots (QDs) often represent an important component and therefore methods to produce QDs that are low-cost, non-toxic and environmentally friendly are required. Currently the most efficient third generation solar cells use elements such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), Selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) which are either toxic or rare or expensive. This research program deals with the synthesis and study of novel, low-cost, non-toxic and sustainable QDs from a combination of elements such as silicon, nitrogen, carbon and a range of low-cost, non-toxic and abundant metals. Furthermore the research will produce QDs with processes based on atmospheric pressure plasmas that are highly suitable to produce tailored properties and lead to material compositions not achievable with other methods. These proposed plasma processes can also be easily integrated in manufacturing lines for the production of full third generation solar cells | |
| Publications | (none) |
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| Final Report | (none) |
|
| Added to Database | 20/08/15 | |
