2009 R&D 100 Winner
Every year, solar radiation delivers more than 10,000 times the amount of energy contained in the electricity consumed globally every year: nearly 57 exajoules. The ability to harness a larger portion of that radiation will be crucial in the coming years, and will depend not on just revolutionary solar cell designs, but also on the creation of breakthrough nanomaterials. One such material, Precision Nanoparticles, was the result of serendipitous experimentation by a team of researchers at Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, and Idaho State Univ., Pocatello. The team was attempting a traditional nanoparticle production method in which a supercritical fluid is used as a solvent to dissolve the source material. They planned to spray the dissolved materials onto a thermal target where it would decompose into nanoparticles. The supercritical carbon dioxide failed to break down the organometallic material, instead producing a coagulated yellow “goo” in the reactor vessel. Assuming a failed experiment, a team member examined the material under an electron microscope and discovered nanoparticles smaller and more uniform than anything yet seen.
After deconstructing the process, researchers were able to duplicate and formalize the supercritical fluids-based technique, which can now produce affordable, uniform (+/- 0.2 nm) particles in a designated diameter and a wide range of sizes (less than 1 to 100 nm). The process does not require special handling such as cleanrooms, as is common with the materials currently used to manufacture solar cells and other products. This reduces capital and operating costs associated with deploying solar cells. The process is also cost effective by an order of magnitude compared to other methods. A gram of copper indium disulfide nanoparticles, for example, which is difficult to produce at high quality and high quantity, can be made for just dollars.
Technology
Nanoparticles
Developers
Idaho National Laboratory
Idaho State Univ.
