Nanostructured double layered hydroxides with up e down-conversion properties for applications as sensitizers in solar cells

Abstract

The development of alternative energy sources able to solve the problem of the efficiency in solar energy conversion, i.e., increasing the relation between the energy absorbed and the available one is the key to attend the ever-increasing demand for energy. Rare earth doped mesostructured double layered hydroxides (LDH) provide significant potential for matching the requirements between molecular and mesoscopic organization of different photon conversion structures and sensitizers. In this kind of material, anionic sensitizing dyes or nanostructures can directly adsorb to positive charge located on the rare earth atoms leading to an efficient energy transfer, while additional photo-(chemical) conversion systems and/or substrates can be hosted in close vicinity within the mesostructure. This alternative allows the improvement of the overall energy harvesting efficiency of photo-chemical, -physical and voltaic applications. The successful synthesis of luminescent, mesostructured LDH materials is expect to have an impact in photochemical applications in the same way as the chemical revolution initiated by the introduction of large pore zeolites and other mesoporous aluminosilicates. In the frame of developing a multidisciplinary work, integrating two of the main areas of knowledge, physics and chemistry, this project aims the preparation and study of mesostructured LDH organized in nanotubular form with up and down-conversion properties for applications as photosensitizer in solar cells. (AU)