Efficient Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells: New Cathodic Materials and Systems. Accelerating the uptake of renewable energy through new and diverse sources is critical to Australia's commitment to sustainable future, and Australia's energy security. This project will address key issues in commercially emerging Dye Solar Cell (DSC) technology, which has been accepted as a credible avenue to cost effective solar electricity. To date, significant development both in industry and Academia, has resulted in ....Efficient Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells: New Cathodic Materials and Systems. Accelerating the uptake of renewable energy through new and diverse sources is critical to Australia's commitment to sustainable future, and Australia's energy security. This project will address key issues in commercially emerging Dye Solar Cell (DSC) technology, which has been accepted as a credible avenue to cost effective solar electricity. To date, significant development both in industry and Academia, has resulted in Australia's leading and often pioneering position in this field. The project will maintain and enhance this position through both scientific and commercial outcomes, including opening up new markets for flexible DSC and exporting products and technological solutions through commercial activities of the Partner Organisation.Read moreRead less
Naturally Photoactive Biopolymers. The basic aim of this project is to assess the viability of using semiconducting biopolymers from the melanin family of macromolecules in photoactive device based applications. In order to do this, key optical, structural, electronic, and photochemical properties will be assessed on thin films in the solid state. The melanins are the only known semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their use as ?active? materials in ....Naturally Photoactive Biopolymers. The basic aim of this project is to assess the viability of using semiconducting biopolymers from the melanin family of macromolecules in photoactive device based applications. In order to do this, key optical, structural, electronic, and photochemical properties will be assessed on thin films in the solid state. The melanins are the only known semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their use as ?active? materials in solid state or photo-electrochemical devices has never before been suggested. Specifically, these materials could be used as the light harvesting components in dye sensitised Gratzel cells, or, as the donor material in soft solid photovoltaic junctions. The melanins are also a key class of biomolecules (their involvement in skin cancers is well documented), and hence, any advancement in our understanding of their functions and properties could have biological importance.Read moreRead less
Photoactive Semiconducting Biopolymers. The basic aims of this project are to elucidate, manipulate, and utilise the unique chemical and physical properties of a class of biopolymers called the melanins. These materials are the only known solid state semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Their use as active components in biomimetic soft electonic, optoelectronic or photovoltaic devices, has not hitherto been demonstrated. It is anticipated that the k ....Photoactive Semiconducting Biopolymers. The basic aims of this project are to elucidate, manipulate, and utilise the unique chemical and physical properties of a class of biopolymers called the melanins. These materials are the only known solid state semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Their use as active components in biomimetic soft electonic, optoelectronic or photovoltaic devices, has not hitherto been demonstrated. It is anticipated that the key outcomes from the project will be a demonstration of biopolymer-based photoelectrochemical and solid-state p-i-n solar cells, and an improved understanding of the physics and chemistry of these important biological macromolecules.Read moreRead less
Fabrication of High Performance Nanocomposite Photoanodes with Built-in Electron Transport Superhighway for Photoelectrocatalysis Applications. Worldwide, huge fresh water shortage problems force us to recycle/reuse water. For Australia, this is an urgent issue due to our limited fresh water resources. In recent years, rapidly diminishing fossil fuel supplies and dramatically accelerated global warming gives society no alternative but adopt renewable, clean energies. Globally, there is a united ....Fabrication of High Performance Nanocomposite Photoanodes with Built-in Electron Transport Superhighway for Photoelectrocatalysis Applications. Worldwide, huge fresh water shortage problems force us to recycle/reuse water. For Australia, this is an urgent issue due to our limited fresh water resources. In recent years, rapidly diminishing fossil fuel supplies and dramatically accelerated global warming gives society no alternative but adopt renewable, clean energies. Globally, there is a united front calling for action to address these problems. However, a practical solution to the issues can only be found when economically viable alternative technologies are developed. This project aims to tackle the biggest obstacle - the low sunlight conversion efficiency. The success of the project will result in economically viable water treatment and solar energy conversion technologies. Read moreRead less
Multifunctional 2D materials for sustainable energy applications. This project seeks to explore the great potential of novel graphene-like two dimensional (2-D) materials for energy applications. 2-D materials, which possess atomic or molecular thickness and infinite planar lengths, are regarded as a building block for many applications due to their unique nanostructures, electronic and mechanical properties. This project is focused on the design and exploration of layered two-dimensional artifi ....Multifunctional 2D materials for sustainable energy applications. This project seeks to explore the great potential of novel graphene-like two dimensional (2-D) materials for energy applications. 2-D materials, which possess atomic or molecular thickness and infinite planar lengths, are regarded as a building block for many applications due to their unique nanostructures, electronic and mechanical properties. This project is focused on the design and exploration of layered two-dimensional artificial graphene and graphene analogues with ‘on-demand’ properties to exploit advanced energy applications. There is now a pressing need to integrate graphene sheets into multidimensional and multifunctional systems with spatially well-defined configurations, and integrated systems with a controllable structure and predictable performance. Project outcomes may lead to next-generation devices in energy storage and other applications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101596
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Development of high performance silicon-based thermoelectrics through band engineering. Thermoelectric (TE) materials, converting waste heat into electricity, have been considered as a sustainable solution to the current energy dilemma. This project aims to realise high-efficiency silicon-based thermoelectrics through rational design of their band structure and nanostructure. This will advance the knowledge of maximising the TE performance in silicon-based thermoelectrics and develop new strateg ....Development of high performance silicon-based thermoelectrics through band engineering. Thermoelectric (TE) materials, converting waste heat into electricity, have been considered as a sustainable solution to the current energy dilemma. This project aims to realise high-efficiency silicon-based thermoelectrics through rational design of their band structure and nanostructure. This will advance the knowledge of maximising the TE performance in silicon-based thermoelectrics and develop new strategies for improving existing TE materials in general. The resulting high performance silicon-based thermoelectrics will greatly promote TE power generation in a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly way, due to their abundance and nontoxicity, benefiting Australia's emerging energy industry, environment and economy.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100126
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
An integrated kinetic measurement system enabling efficient solar energy conversion. This measurement facility will underpin advances in the fundamental understanding of new semiconducting materials for high efficiency light-driven energy conversion systems. The outcomes of the research at the facility will lead to significant economic and environmental benefits for many industries, such as low cost solar cells and water purifications.
Active channel organic transistors. The objective of our project is to create the next generation of electronic transistors based upon organic semiconductors. Specifically, the project will create devices for use in applications such as low power lighting, chemical sensing and lasers.
Towards energy-efficient lighting based on light-emitting diodes: the role of silicon carbide grown on Si Wafers. This project will investigate a potential solution to the problems of cost and quality of light-emitting diodes for solid-state lighting. The expected outcome is knowledge to underpin future development of solid-state lighting that is suitable for a wide replacement of the much less efficient and effective incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes.
Liquids to semiconductors: the formation of solution-processed electronics. This project aims to understand and control the formation of solution-processed organic semiconductors. This project will create unique experimental methodologies to study, in situ, the evolution of the structure and the emergence of electrical transport all the way from the initial solution to the final film. These findings will be used to formulate design rules and principles that will accelerate the development of sol ....Liquids to semiconductors: the formation of solution-processed electronics. This project aims to understand and control the formation of solution-processed organic semiconductors. This project will create unique experimental methodologies to study, in situ, the evolution of the structure and the emergence of electrical transport all the way from the initial solution to the final film. These findings will be used to formulate design rules and principles that will accelerate the development of solution-processed semiconductors beyond current trial-and-error approaches. This will provide significant benefits, such as unlocking the potential of soft and flexible semiconductors for new technologies based on sustainable manufacturing.Read moreRead less