P-N and P-i-N junction silicon microwire arrays for solar energy conversion

用于太阳能转换的 P-N 和 P-i-N 结硅微线阵列

基本信息

批准号：
RGPIN-2018-04965
负责人：
Oliver, Derek
金额：
$ 2.04万
依托单位：
University of Manitoba
依托单位国家：
加拿大
项目类别：
Discovery Grants Program - Individual
财政年份：
2019
资助国家：
加拿大
起止时间：
2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=682693
关键词：
junction silicon microwire arrays solar

项目摘要

Annual global energy demands are projected to rise by roughly a quarter between now and 2040 (International Energy Outlook, Sept 2017, Dept. of Energy, USA). Renewable energy sources and reliable energy storage are critical to meeting these energy needs in northern, remote areas of Canada and worldwide. Alternatives to renewing or building costly infrastructure, especially nuclear installations, are desirable. Sunlight is the principal renewable energy resource - in a handful of hours the total solar energy incident on the globe exceeds our annual energy demands. Despite great strides in photovoltaic and battery technology, increasing energy storage density and reducing cost remain challenges. In addition, the raw materials for these technologies rely heavily on highly-restricted supply chains. Harnessing and storing solar energy in chemical bonds represents a compelling quest that resolves the issue of energy storage density. Using earth-abundant materials to capture solar energy enacts the most basic tenets of resource stewardship while benefitting remote (northern) and developing communities.******The research in this proposal will develop key technologies for solar-based fuel generation: storing energy in the simplest chemical bond (hydrogen) or converting carbon dioxide into a useable fuel. Using a variant of chemical vapor deposition, earth-abundant silicon will be used to fabricate high-fidelity single-crystal microwires with excellent performance characteristics at low cost. My team will fabricate multicomponent silicon microwires that incorporate a transition from a boron-doped region to a phosphorus-doped region. The electrical characteristics of this transition region will open up new design pathways for prototype solar fuel generation components. When integrated into a solar collector, these new silicon microwires will absorb energy from sunlight and drive a chemical reaction, such as splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen gas or reducing carbon dioxide into a carbon fuel. Ultimately, these new solar-powered fuel generating devices will address critical energy needs, particularly in developing and remote communities.

从现在到2040年，全球能源需求预计将增加大约四分之一（国际能源展望，2017年9月，美国能源部）。可再生能源和可靠的能源存储对于满足加拿大北部，偏远地区和全球的这些能源需求至关重要。需要更新或建筑物的替代方案，尤其是核设施，是可取的。阳光是主要的可再生能源资源 - 在几个小时内，全球太阳能事件超出了我们的年度能源需求。尽管光伏和电池技术方面取得了长足的进步，但增加的储能密度和降低的成本仍然是挑战。此外，这些技术的原材料在很大程度上依赖于高度限制的供应链。在化学键中利用和存储太阳能代表了解决储能密度问题的引人注目的任务。使用土壤丰富的材料来捕获太阳能，构成了资源管理的最基本原则，同时使遥远（北部）和发展中的社区受益。******该提案中的研究将开发基于太阳能的燃料生成的关键技术：将能源存储在最简单的化学键（氢）或将二氧化碳转换为可用的燃料中。使用一种化学蒸气沉积的变体，将使用土壤丰富的硅来制造具有出色性能特征的高保真单晶微孔，以低成本。我的团队将制造多组分硅微管，该硅微管结合了从掺杂硼的区域向磷掺杂区域的过渡。该过渡区域的电气特性将为原型太阳能产生组件开辟新的设计途径。当整合到太阳能收集器中时，这些新的硅微管将吸收来自阳光的能量并驱动化学反应，例如将水分解为氢气和氧气或将二氧化碳减少到碳燃料中。最终，这些新的太阳能燃料产生设备将满足关键的能源需求，尤其是在发展中和偏远社区中。