Purdue Research Foundation

University of Washington

Hugh W Hillhouse

Rakesh Agrawal

Qijie Guo

Ta-Chen Wei

Michael P Tate

Vikrant N Urade

Devices and methods are provided for generating electrical power using a capacitor. The capacitor has a catalytic working electrode, a dielectric, and a counter electrode. Power is generated by flowing a fuel (e.g., hydrogen gas) over the working electrode, charging the capacitor (e.g. by applying a voltage), flowing an oxidant (e.g., oxygen gas) over the working electrode, and connecting the electrodes to a resistive load, which allows current to flow through the load, between the electrodes. The inverse device (i.e., oxidant first, then fuel) functions similarly.

Methods and devices for generating electricity from a fuel and an oxidant using a capacitor

Nanoparticle compositions and methods for synthesizing multinary chalcogenide CZTSSe nanoparticles containing Cu, Zn, and Sn in combination with S, Se or both are described. The nanoparticles may be incorporated into one or more ink solutions alone or in combination with other chalcogenide-based particles to make thin films useful for photovoltaic applications, including thin films from multilayer particle films having a composition profile. The composition and stoichiometry of the thin films may be further modified by subjecting the particle films to gas or liquid phase chalcogen exchange reactions.

Synthesis of multinary chalcogenide nanoparticles comprising Cu, Zn, Sn, S, and Se

A method of fabrication of thin films for photovoltaic or electronic applications is provided. The method includes fabricating a nanocrystal precursor layer and selenizing the nanocrystal precursor layer in a selenium containing atmosphere. The nanocrystal precursor layer includes one of CuInS, CuIn(S,Se), CuGaS, CuGa(S, Se), Cu(InGa)S, and Cu(InGa)(S, Se)nanoparticles and combinations thereof, wherein 0&#x2266;x&#x2266;1 and 0&#x2266;y&#x2266;1.

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A method of forming a nanoporous film is disclosed. The method comprises forming a coating solution including clusters, surfactant molecules, a solvent, and one of an acid catalyst and a base catalyst. The clusters comprise inorganic groups. The method further comprises aging the coating solution for a time period to select a predetermined phase that will self-assemble and applying the coating solution on a substrate. The method further comprises evaporating the solvent from the coating solution and removing the surfactant molecules to yield the nanoporous film.

Double gyroid structure nanoporous films and nanowire networks

A method for synthesizing a chalcogenide nanoparticle is provided. The method comprises reacting a metal component with an elemental chalcogen precursor in the presence of an organic solvent. The chalcogenide nanoparticles include ternary, binary and/or multinary chalcogenide nanoparticles and the metal component comprises metal halides or elemental metal precursors. The alkylamine solvent has a normal boiling temperature of above about 220&#xb0; C. and an average particle size of from about 5 nm to about 1000 nm.

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West Lafayette, IN, United States of America

Hugh W Hillhouse