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Title: Hybrid chromophore/template nanostructures: A customizable platform material for solar energy storage and conversion

Abstract

Challenges with cost, cyclability, and/or low energy density have largely prevented the development of solar thermal fuels, a potentially attractive alternative energy technology based on molecules that can capture and store solar energy as latent heat in a closed cycle. In this paper, we present a set of novel hybrid photoisomer/template solar thermal fuels that can potentially circumvent these challenges. Using first-principles computations, we demonstrate that these fuels, composed of organic photoisomers bound to inexpensive carbon-based templates, can reversibly store solar energy at densities comparable to Li-ion batteries. Furthermore, we show that variation of the template material in combination with the photoisomer can be used to optimize many of the key performance metrics of the fuel-i.e., the energy density, the storage lifetime, the temperature of the output heat, and the efficiency of the solar-to-heat conversion. Our work suggests that the solar thermal fuels concept can be translated into a practical and highly customizable energy storage and conversion technology. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4773306]

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
OSTI Identifier:
1211317
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Chemical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 138; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Kolpak, AM, and Grossman, JC. Hybrid chromophore/template nanostructures: A customizable platform material for solar energy storage and conversion. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4773306.
Kolpak, AM, & Grossman, JC. Hybrid chromophore/template nanostructures: A customizable platform material for solar energy storage and conversion. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773306
Kolpak, AM, and Grossman, JC. 2013. "Hybrid chromophore/template nanostructures: A customizable platform material for solar energy storage and conversion". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773306.
@article{osti_1211317,
title = {Hybrid chromophore/template nanostructures: A customizable platform material for solar energy storage and conversion},
author = {Kolpak, AM and Grossman, JC},
abstractNote = {Challenges with cost, cyclability, and/or low energy density have largely prevented the development of solar thermal fuels, a potentially attractive alternative energy technology based on molecules that can capture and store solar energy as latent heat in a closed cycle. In this paper, we present a set of novel hybrid photoisomer/template solar thermal fuels that can potentially circumvent these challenges. Using first-principles computations, we demonstrate that these fuels, composed of organic photoisomers bound to inexpensive carbon-based templates, can reversibly store solar energy at densities comparable to Li-ion batteries. Furthermore, we show that variation of the template material in combination with the photoisomer can be used to optimize many of the key performance metrics of the fuel-i.e., the energy density, the storage lifetime, the temperature of the output heat, and the efficiency of the solar-to-heat conversion. Our work suggests that the solar thermal fuels concept can be translated into a practical and highly customizable energy storage and conversion technology. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4773306]},
doi = {10.1063/1.4773306},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1211317}, journal = {Journal of Chemical Physics},
issn = {0021-9606},
number = 3,
volume = 138,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Mon Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}