Research Projects
NanOLED (CIPE Regional Project)
“Novel Nanostructured Materials for Light Emitting Devices and Application to Automotive Displays-CIPE 2006”
Duration: 2007-1020
Abstract: NanOLED aims to develop nanostructured materials with enhanced photoluminescence efficiency and environmental stability to be used in light emitting devices for automotive displays. Devices will be designed to overcome the current limitations of OLED technology (low life-time at 80°C, very high investments, high cost because of expensive materials needed and of relatively low yields because of the production complexity). The active layer will be formed by novel luminescent nanostructures characterized by a host conducting inorganic porous or layered film with a 2D or 3D network of well organized nanospaces where guest luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals, organic dyes or transition metal complexes will be embedded. These nanostructured films will be grown on substrates which can be either thin glass or nanocomposite polymeric materials with tuned bulk and surface properties with the addition of inorganic fillers (e.g. layered silicates). The porosity of the film will be tuned so as to trade off high light efficiency against reduced complexity of the device. The development of novel inorganic nanostructured materials having superior quality, reliability, sustainability and cost-effectiveness will allow an optimal incorporation into new optical devices.
A rational design/simulation of the properties/structure of light emitting nanocomposite materials will be pursued in nanOLED through a combination of computational and experimental approaches. This will be essential for tuning properly the synthesis of inorganic and organic light emitting nanomaterials, polymer nanocomposites and prototypes of electro-optical devices.
Summarising, the project will contribute to explore the frontiers of knowledge by:
• Investigation of new low cost methods for the growth of nanostructured materials;
• Modeling and computational studies of light-emitting composite materials;
• Demonstration of processing of porous nanostructured materials on large areas;
• Combination of top-down (micro/nanolithography) and bottom-up technologies (selfassembling);
• Development of morphological/structural characterization of nanomaterials and
supramolecular architectures and chemical and physical characterization (optical,electronic and electro-optical) of materials;
• Demonstration of novel light light emission devices based on highly emitting and thermally stable inorganic nanostructured active layer and characterized by simple architecture with increased external efficiency, robustness and long lifetime;
• Characterization of the prototypes in terms of external efficiency, optical properties and technological solutions are alternative to displays based on both organic and inorganic LEDs which are mostly developed outside Europe.
Partners: Centro Cultura Ing. Materie Plastiche, Magneti Marelli, - Cyanine Technologies, - CRF
INNOVASOL (European Project, VII FP)
"Innovative Materials for Future Generation Excitonic Solar Cells"
Duration: 2009-2012
Abstract:
INNOVASOL aims to develop radically new nanostructured materials for photovoltaic (PV) excitonic solar cells (XSCs) really competitive with traditional energy sources. The main objective is to leapfrog current limitations of third-generation PV devices through a drastic improvement of the materials used for assembling XSCs. The first step is the substitution of the liquid electrolytes, currently used in dye-sensitised solar cells, with solid-state hole conductors. In parallel, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) with tuned band gap, designed to enhance the photon capture efficiency, will replace the organic dyes as light absorbers. A striking improvement is expected from multi exciton generation (MEG) effects, overcoming the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit of 31% for the PV conversion. In a second step, highly innovative QDs with supramolecular hierarchical nanostructure will be designed and synthesized: the QDs will be covered by self-assembled monolayers of amphiphilic dye molecules, mimicking the photosynthetic antenna system. The dye molecules will act as molecular relays (MRs), which connect the QDs to the transparent conductive oxide (TCO). Novel TCO architectures will be developed for efficient interface energy transfer and electron diffusion.
Six academic institutions guarantee an interdisciplinary research, based on top level theoretical and experimental approaches. The high degree of knowledge of solid-state physics and chemistry, nanoscience and nanotechnology of the researchers assures that the new concepts and the objectives proposed will be successfully developed/pursued. Fiat research center and Solaronix, a SME leader in the XSCs production, will provide proof-of-concept prototypes to validate the innovative materials developed by the academic partners. Materials and technological solutions of INNOVASOL are original and will pave the way for future generation XSCs alternative to devices so far developed both inside and outside Europe.
Partners: Centro Interdisciplinare Nano-SiSTeMI Università del Piemonte Orientale, Laboratory for Photonics and Interfaces Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Technische Universität Dresden, Nanoscience Centre University of Cambridge, Centre of Excellence Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces Università di Torino, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Centro di Ricerche Fiat, Solaronix SA.