Solar energy basics

Today microemulsions are used in catalysis, preparation of submicron particles, solar energy conversion, extraction of minerals and protein, detergency and lubrication [58]. Most studies in the field of basic research have dealt with the physical chemistry of the systems themselves and only recently have microemulsions been used as a reaction medium in organic synthesis. The reactions investigated to date include nucleophilic substitution and additions [59], oxidations [59-61], alkylation [62], synthesis of trialkylamines [63], coupling of aryl halides [64], nitration of phenols [65], photoamidation of fluoroolefins [66] and some Diels-Alder reactions. 

However, there are many challenges to exploiting direct conversion of solar energy into electricity and/or chemical fuels. For a comprehensive review of the basic research challenges in the photovoltaic conversion of solar energy see Refs. [2, 3, 9]. 

Basic Research Needs for Solar Energy Utilization, Report on the Basic Energy Sciences Workshop on Solar Energy Utilization, April 18-21, 2005,... 

In summary, we have described the main concepts of two components of our program, one on composite materials and the other on alloys. The experiments on composite materials are still not advanced enough to tell how effective such materials will be as electrodes. The results on the alloys show some promise, and point to the need for a more basic materials approach in order to obtain improved electrodes. This work was supported by the Solar Energy Research Institute. 

This volume, based on the symposium Photoeffects at Semiconductor-Electrolyte Interfaces, consists of 25 invited and contributed papers. Although the emphasis of the symposium was on the more basic aspects of research in photoelectrochemistry, the covered topics included applied research on photoelectrochemical cells. This is natural since it is clear that the driving force for the intense current interest and activity in photoelectrochemistry is the potential development of photoelectrochemical cells for solar energy conversion. These versatile cells can be designed either to produce electricity (electrochemical photovoltaic cells) or to produce fuels and chemicals (photoelectrosynthetic cells). 

In this review, however, only recent studies of the reactions of macromolecule-metal complexes will be reviewed. There have been some exellent reviews recently on macromolecule-metal complexes regarding syntheses, formation, characterization and catalytic activities l solar energy conversion 2), artificial oxygen carriers 3), and electrode processes 4). Furthermore, the preprints of the 1st International Conference on Macromolecule-Metal Complexes Tokyo Seminar on Macromolecule-Metal Complexes were published in 19875). These reviews and the preprints give useful information about the recent development of the basic and applied chemistry of macromolecule-metal complexes. 

Now, consider stability. If a satisfactory initial system or component performance and cost are assumed, then in many cases the critical issue is to maintain the physical behavior of materials adjoining an interface for up to 30 years. The physical behavior may include properties that directly influence solar device performance, such as reflectance, transmittance, absorptance, emittance, and photovoltaic efficiency or solar device performance may be indirectly affected by properties such as adhesion, permeability, photo-oxidative stability, or interdiffusion. The required stability of interfaces in SECS components is counter to basic physics and chemistry, because atoms at interfaces must be more reactive and thermodynamically less stable than when in the bulk of materials (2). Yet, the density of solar energy requires deploying systems with large interfacial... 

Polymer photochemistry and physics have been recently reviewed, and readers are encouraged to investigate this further in the suggested readings given at the end of the chapter. Here, we introduce some of the basic concepts of photophysics and photochemistry. We also illustrate the use of photochemistry and photophysics in the important area of solar energy conversion. 

These excited-state electron transfer reactions were mainly investigated using time-resolved spectroscopic techniques such as flash photolysis and flash fluorescence. The extensive work on the photochemistry of MLCT excited states is motivated by both the interest in basic science and the potential applications to many areas of chemistry, for example, biochemistry, solar energy, and conducting polymers.130 135... 

Mulder, M. (1991) Basic Principles of Membrane Technology, 2nd edn, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht. Camera-Roda, G. and Santarelli, F. (2007) Journal of Solar Energy Engineering-Transactions of the ASME, 129, 68. 

Hess, G. (2005) Basic research needs for solar energy utilization, US Department of Energy, Chemical and Engineering News, 83, 12. 

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