Materials for Solar Energy Conversion

The group investigates materials for thin film photovoltaic devices featuring earth abundant elements and low processing costs. Key targets include absorber films, buffer layers and transparent conducting oxides by solution processable methods. Another important area of research involves the development of advanced thermionic systems based on diamond films. This type of systems exploits the unique electron emission properties of diamond materials, combined with plasmonic nanostructures, to generate new and disruptive technologies powered by concentrated thermal energy including solar, geothermal and nuclear.

Solar Fuels and Catalysis for Energy Vectors

Exploitation of renewable energy sources (Solar, Wind, Tidal) as primary energy sources requires effective and scalable means of storing vast amounts of energy. The Materials for Energy group examines a broad range of systems capable of storing energy into stable chemical bonds, including water-splitting as well as CO₂ storage and conversion. Research in this domain includes design of nanostructured metallic and semiconductor materials, conjugated microporous polymer systems and functional carbon materials.