Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic devices, are a class of renewable energy systems that can convert photons into electrons without the carbon dioxide emission. Short-wavelength, high-energy photons in the ultraviolet (UV) range can't be efficiently utilized by most solar cells because of the spectral mismatch. Luminescent downshifting is a...
A present abundance of biomass and a decreasing supply of petroleum signal the need for efficient pathways from renewable feedstocks to high value chemicals. One such class of chemicals is oleofurans, molecules comprised of a furan ring and carbon chain which can be used to make powerful hard water surfactants....
The purpose of this research is to provide a simple fabrication method for zinc oxide and antimony sulfide based thin film solar cells. Both a ZnO nanorod electron conducting structure and a stibnite absorber show promise in a solar cell. Initial attempts at using only ZnO and Sb2S3, however, resulted...
High purity isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is utilized in silicon wafer manufacturing in cleaning and drying processes. With the ever-decreasing die size, there is an increased need for even higher purity chemicals. This process was designed to further purify a 250,000 lbs/month stream high purity isopropyl alcohol stream for use in...
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Nicholas AuYeung, Committee Member, representing Department of Chemical Engineering
Increased dependence on fossil fuels and concerns of anthropogenic climate change have led to increased interest in alternative energy sources. Liquid fuels derived from renewable raw materials have gained attention in recent years due to their similarity to petroleum-based fuels. Biofuels derived through hydrodeoxygenation have been found to be one...
Photoluminescence (PL) materials have attracted a lot of attention in last several decades. Recently PL materials, which can convert low-efficiency Ultraviolet (UV) or Infrared (IR) light to high-efficiency visible light, have been widely applied in the research of improving conversion efficiency of solar cell. As one of the most common...
Globally rising anthropogenic CO₂ emissions have resulted in the increased prevalence of ocean acidification (OA) which has the potential to impact shell-forming organisms. On geologic timescales, the largest contributor to atmospheric CO₂ was volcanoes, counterbalanced by weathering and erosion, but due to increased anthropogenic emissions, these processes alone can no...
The United States depends on the electrical grid infrastructure for nearly every facet of its operation. Understanding how inclement weather affects the reliability of the grid and what the U.S. is doing to ensure its resiliency will be a key step moving forward into the 21st century as global climate...
Airports are required by the Federal Aviation Administration to perform deicing of aircraft pavement during icy conditions. Until recently, there were no discharge controls in place and deicing fluid contaminated nearby water bodies from storm water runoff. EPA regulations now require airports to collect the deicing fluid and meet discharge...
Inkjet-printed p-type copper(I) iodide-based TFTs were successfully fabricated. As-printed copper(I) halide semiconductor films, such as CuI, CuBrI, and CuClI, were used as p-type active channel layers for TFTs. The entire process of the TFTs fabrication was maintained under 150 °C, which is compatible with flexible plastic substrates and transparent glass...