Polymers in Renewable Energy Generation - October 2009
This month we're focusing on the topic of polymers used in photovoltaics, harnessing wind and hydro power; any form of renewable energy generation. You can search the Polymer Library for information on this topic - subscriptions start at just £99 and offer you a quick, effective way of finding information.
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- Solar Cells - Keeping you up-to-date with the all the latest news on polymers in solar cells and general photovoltaics
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Abstracts
Please see below a selection of abstracts highlighted in the October Newsletter. These are records which relate to polymers in solar cells or photovoltaics, composites used in wind turbines and polymers used in the harnessing of hydro power.
Click on the 7-digit accession numbers to find out about ordering a copyright-cleared full text copy of the items shown.
1048838 - ULTRASMOOTH, LARGE-AREA, HIGH-UNIFORMITY, CONDUCTIVE TRANSPARENT SINGLE-WALLED-CARBON-NANOTUBE FILMS FOR PHOTOVOLTAICS PRODUCED BY ULTRASONIC SPRAYING
Single-walled-carbon-nanotube(SWNT) films were prepared with high transparency, electrical conductivity and uniformity, with exceptionally low surface roughness, on arbitrarily large substrates by ultrasonic spraying. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose-based dispersions were used for spraying the SWNT films. Nitric acid treatment then followed. This scalable process was shown to be ideally suited for large-area, solution-based production of SWNT electrodes for photovoltaics and other optoelectronic applications. A high-performance organic photovoltaic solar cell deposited on a sprayed SWNT electrode suffered minimal loss in efficiency when compared with a similar solar cell deposited on the traditional transparent conducting electrode, indium tin oxide. 34 refs.
Advanced Materials, 21, No.31, 21st Aug.2009, p.3210-3216, ISSN: 0935-9648, DOI: 10.1002/adma.200803551
Tenent R C; Barnes T M; Bergeson J D; Ferguson A J; To B; Gedvilas L M; Heben M J; Blackburn J L
1048598 - COPOLYMERS OF PERYLENE DIIMIDE WITH DITHIENOTHIOPHENE AND DITHIENOPYRROLE AS ELECTRON-TRANSPORT MATERIALS FOR ALL-POLYMER SOLAR CELLS AND FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS
The synthesis of electron-accepting solution-processable conjugated polymers consisting of perylene diimide moieties alternating with dithienothiophene, oligo(dithienothiophene) or N-dodecyl dithienopyrrole units is described. The conjugated polymers are characterised by NMR spectroscopy, GPC, elemental analysis, DSC, TGA, UV vis spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements and the effects of the dithienothiophene units on the electronic properties of the polymers evaluated. The performances of organic field effect transistors and photovoltaic cells fabricated from the polymers are also evaluated. 46 refs.
Journal of Materials Chemistry, 19, No.32, 28th Aug.2009, p.5794-5803, ISSN: 0959-9428, DOI: 10.1039/b907163f
Xiaowei Zhan; Zhan'ao Tan; Erjun Zhou; Yongfang Li; Misra R; Grant A; Domercq B; Xiao-Hong Zhang; Zesheng An; Xuan Zhang; Barlow S; Kippelen B; Marder S R
1048334 - PHOTOVOLTAICS BASED ON HYBRIDIZATION OF EFFECTIVE DYE-SENSITIZED TITANIUM OXIDE AND HOLE-CONDUCTIVE POLYMER P3HT
The fabrication of dye-sensitised solar cells based on titanium dioxide, hole-conductive poly(3-hexylthiophene), an organic dye containing a 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene group or a ruthenium complex dye containing alkylthiophene groups, together with the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium containing lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonamide) and 4-tet-butylpyridine, is described. The devices were characterised by UV-visible spectroscopy, current-voltage and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency measurements and the results are discussed in terms of molecular self-organisation at the dye-polymer interface and to efficient charge separation and diffusion resulting from the presence of the ionic liquid and additives. 32 refs.
Advanced Functional Materials, 19, No.15, 10th Aug.2009, p.2481-2485, ISSN: 1616-301X, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200900283
Jiang K-J; Manseki K; Yu Y-H; Masaki N; Suzuki K; Song Y; Yanagida S
1048186 - SOLVAY AIDS SOLAR IMPULSE (short article)
Solar Impulse, an airplane powered exclusively by photovoltaic cells and able to fly automatically, day and night without using any fossil fuels, uses special PU foam prepared with a Solvay foaming agent in its cockpit and motor gondolas. Solvay says the blowing agent gives foam with improved insulation performance. At outside temperatures far below zero degrees centigrade, good insulation is essential to maintain a comfortable inside temperature for the pilot, it is briefly reported. The "egg-shell PU housing's" good compressive strength assures maximum impact stability and gives a stable structure. Improved dimensional stability means that the large temperature ranges the aircraft encounters will not cause shrinkage or expansion from the designed form.
Urethanes Technology, 26, No.4, Aug.-Sept.2009, p.38, ISSN: 0265-637X
1047968 - WIND TURBINES: HARDENERS 'WITH A SWITCH' IMPROVE ROTOR PRODUCTION (downloadable pdf available)
Rotor blades for wind turbines are becoming ever larger and heavier. Despite these weight increases, the technological limits have nowhere near been reached and it is shown that the necessary material properties can be achieved using innovative fibre composite materials from BASF, based on epoxy resin systems rather than polyester resins. The four principal techniques used for impregnating the fibres are discussed, with emphasis on the infusion process. A specially optimised latent hardener system is described which allows for significantly shorter cycle times and thus increases productivity. Data are presented on the infusion rate of the epoxy resin in the mould and on the curing rate of the latent epoxy resin system.
Kunststoffe International, 99, No.7, 2009, p.54-56, ISSN: 1862-4243
Daun G
1046549 - LOWER WIND TURBINE NOISE
Some of the earlier wind turbines attracted considerable criticism on the grounds of noise, so WEG paid particular attention to acoustic isolation in the design of the MS-3. The main noise attenuation feature was a Metalastik Spherilastik "teeter" bearing used by gusting wind. In addition to acting as a resilient spherical joint, the compact, precisely formulated rubber/metal component also keeps noise and vibration to a minimum. Trelleborg Industrial AVS developed a more complex isolation system for the wind farm at Blyth in Northumberland, the first in the UK to be sited in a harbour. The Trelleborg suspension system was installed in the three turbines closest to the town two years after it opened in order to bring overall noise levels within the environmentally acceptable norms specified by the contract. The package consisted of four Spherilastik and a number of large Metalastik Cushyfloats for each of the three turbines. A more recent example is Trelleborg's collaboration with Windflow Technology, which again is using Spherilastik bearings for its Windflow 500 wind turbines, designed and manufactured in New Zealand.
The Rubber International Magazine, 11, No.8, Aug.2009, p.34-35, ISSN: 1513-2404
1043915 - WAVE AND TIDAL POWER - AN EMERGING NEW MARKET FOR COMPOSITES
Wind energy has become an established and mature contributor to humankind's energy supply. Water-based renewables are likely to follow, albeit at decade or more down the line. Prototype and pre-production wave and tidal stream devices are now working or being installed in several locations. Just as reinforced plastics have proved instrumental in capturing the power of the wind, they look poised to contribute similarly in harnessing water power. Aviation Enteprises is a British company that produces rotors for several firms developing tidal stream generators. The company has led the way in testing materials and structures, including such features as bonded joints, for the underwater environment. One of the companies it works closely with is UK-based Marine Current Turbines, whose 1.2 MW SeaGen tidal stream generator is installed in Strangford Narrows, Northern Ireland. Each blade of the SeaGen rotor comprises a hollow carbon fibre composite box spar as the main load bearing member, along with carbon ribs, and a glass fibre composite envelope bonded to this skeleton. Advanced Composites Group has been the majority materials supplier, as well as contributing development expertise. At this early stage of water power evolution, there is a profusion of ideas competing for attention and development funding. Composites are potential material choices in many of them.
Reinforced Plastics, 53, No.5, June-July 2009, p.20-24, ISSN: 0034-3617
Marsh G
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