University of Chicago

Uchicago Argonne, LLC

Steven J Sibener

Seth B Darling

Tijana Rajh

Sanja Tepavcevic

Kevin Gibson

Nada M Dimitrijevic

Jacob D Graham

Kevin J Nihill

Stephen P Hansknecht

Michelle R Brann

Provided are apparatus and methods for enriching and separating isotopologues or isotopes. The apparatus and methods enrich and/or separate isotopes or isotopologues present in a substantially monovelocity supersonic beam incident upon a solid surface comprising condensed forms of the isotopologues or the isotopes via the differential condensation of the different isotopologues or isotopes on the surface or the differential reflection of the different isotopologues or isotopes from the surface.

Isotopologue or isotope enrichment via preferential condensation of isotopologues or isotopes under non-equilibrium gas-surface collision conditions

Methods for enriching, separating, or enriching and separating isotopes and isotopologues, as well as other chemical species, contained in a supersonic beam are provided. In the methods, a supersonic beam having different isotopes, isotopologues, or other chemical species entrained therein and a beam comprising a matrix material converge on a surface. As the matrix material forms a solid matrix on the surface, heavier isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species become preferentially embedded in the matrix, while lighter isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species are preferentially scattered from the surface.

Enrichment and separation of isotopes, isotopologues, or other chemical species, via differential embedding in a capture matrix

Methods for separating isotopes are provided. An embodiment of such a method comprises directing a supersonic beam characterized by an average velocity v and velocity distribution &#x394;v/v, the beam comprising a first isotope and a second isotope, at a single-crystalline surface at an angle of incidence &#x3b8;such that the first isotope elastically scatters from the surface with a peak angle &#x3b8;and the second isotope elastically scatters from the surface with a peak angle &#x3b8;; and selectively collecting the scattered first isotope, the scattered second isotope, or both. Apparatus for carrying out the methods are also provided.

Separation of isotopes in space and time by gas-surface atomic diffraction

A hybrid photovoltaic cell comprising a composite substrate of a nanotube or nanorod array of metal oxide infiltrated with a monomer precursor and subsequently polymerized in situ via UV irradiation. In an embodiment, the photovoltaic cell comprises an electron accepting TiOnanotube array infiltrated with a photo-sensitive electron donating conjugated polymer. The conjugated polymer may be formed in situ through UV irradiation polymerizing a monomer precursor such as 2,5-diiodothiophene (DIT).

Hybrid solar cells via UV-polymerization of polymer precursor

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Steven J Sibener