BACKGROUND
Photovoltaics and solar thermal collectors are most widely used for solar energy generation. Until now, this field has been dominated by photovoltaic devices, usually made of silicon, and profiting from the experience in manufacturing and material availability resulting from the semiconductor industry. Understanding the working mechanisms, one can recognize that two common limitations exist in solar utilization schemes- the limited light absorption and the rapid charge recombination in semiconductors. Some semiconductors have been explored for photocatalytic and photovoltaic applications, but they possess relatively low light absorption coefficients. Semiconductors and hybrid semiconductors with wide bandgaps such as TiO2 (Eg=3.2 eV) can only absorb light limited to the ultraviolet region and cannot utilize the visible and near-infrared photons that account for a significant portion of the solar spectrum.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
A Novel solar light-harvesting effects of the dielectric copper-based novel material (Cu2O) are a potential alternative to conventional catalysts and energy materials. Dielectric CU2O Nanoparticles exploits include but are not limited to: Mie-Resonance mediated Energy and Electron Transfer capabilities that can be enhanced via manipulation of the size and geometry of the nanoparticles, light, and intensity dependent studies, utilization in thin film solar cells, photocatalysis and several other applications. The present invention is directed to have impacts in the pharmaceutical, energy fuels, thin solar cells, CO2 reduction, specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, meta-materials, water decontamination and other industries.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
- Pharmaceuticals
- Energy fuels
- Chemicals
MAIN ADVANTAGES
- Utilizing solar light of generation of energy through a renewable source
- Photocatalysis and in myriad of applications
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
- There is a Proof of Concept for this technology.