Book Synopsis DOE-EFRC Center on Nanostructuring for Efficient Energy Conversion (CNEEC). Final Technical Report by :
Download or read book DOE-EFRC Center on Nanostructuring for Efficient Energy Conversion (CNEEC). Final Technical Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stanford University's DOE-EFRC Center on Nanostructuring for Efficient Energy Conversion (CNEEC) made important contributions in advancing our understanding of how nanostructuring of materials can enhance efficiency for solar energy conversion to produce hydrogen fuel and to solve fundamental cross-cutting problems. The overarching hypothesis underlying CNEEC the research projects was to control, synthesize and modify materials at the nanometer scale to increase the efficiency of energy conversion and storage devices and systems. In this pursuit, we emphasized the development of functional nanostructures that are based primarily on earth abundant and inexpensive materials. Efficient and cost effective synthetic routes for hydrogen production from sunlight provides a practical means for clean energy storage as well as an important alternative to fossil fuels. Hydrogen is an environmentally benign fuel that only produces water when burned or oxidized. However, more than 75% of the hydrogen consumed globally is produced commercially by steam reforming of methane that generates not only H2, but also the greenhouse gas CO2. In this regard, photoelectrochemical splitting of water into hydrogen (and oxygen) offers a carbon-free option. Producing hydrogen using renewable energy and widely available non-precious metal-based catalysts not only offers a cost effective process for solar-to-fuel conversion, but also provides great societal and environmental benefits towards mitigating global climate change. As a clean fuel and efficient energy carrier, hydrogen has the potential to provide large-scale energy storage and load leveling especially for intermittent power generation technologies such as wind and solar, and also serve as a carbon-free energy carrier for transportation and portable applications. However, photoelectrochemical splitting of water places strict demands on materials properties. To overcome these challenges, CNEEC developed theoretical and predictive tools as well as synthesis methodologies to control, design and engineer materials at the nanoscale for efficient conversion of sunlight into hydrogen via photoelectrochemical splitting of water. Since this involves developing photoelectrodes that not only capture and absorb photons efficiently but also possess high activity to catalyze the water oxidation reaction, our overarching goal has been to manipulate materials at the nanometer scale in order to modify their properties and improve conversion efficiency. Naturally, enhancing catalysis, reducing diffusion length scales for charge and mass transport, and improving photoabsorption and charge collection via nanostructuring increases conversion efficiency and improves device performance. For this, CNEEC assembled a team of researchers across disciplines and institutions who bring their complementary expertise in experimentation, theory, simulation, synthesis and characterization to bear on complex but fundamental issues that cut across not only photoelectrochemical splitting of water but also in many other energy conversion and storage devices. By such a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach, CNEEC successfully integrated the tools, methodologies and expertise from different disciplines including synthesis and characterization at the nanoscale as well as theory and simulation to guide experimental efforts. Specifically, advanced synthesis, fabrication and characterization methodologies were developed for nanostructuring to optimize light absorption through quantum and optical confinement and improve catalysis through theory-driven and bio-inspired design for improved performance and efficiency in solar energy conversion to hydrogen fuel. Our research helped understand and expand the scientific foundation of the underlying physical and chemical phenomena that can lead to opportunities for high-efficiency, cost-effective energy technologies. For example, we developed nanostructured photoelectrodes that are based on ...
