This combination of nanomaterials is a hybrid of conducting polymer and graphene, which can efficiently convert light into electricity and vice versa. A group of researchers from the Carbochemistry Institute (ICB) of the Superior Institute for Scientific Research (CSIC) has made great progress in the development of efficient and sustainable devices. It is a special combination of nanomaterials that creates a product that can convert heat into electricity and vice versa faster than conventional materials.
This work has been published in the journal Chemistry of Materials.
“We made a hybrid of two nanomaterials: a conductive polymer called polythiophene, in the form of 1D nanoparticles; and a 2D nanomaterial from graphene, graphene oxide. The unique properties it exhibits are very promising for improving the performance of optoelectronic devices such as displays of electronic devices and solar panels, among others,” says Wolfgang Maser, the ICB researcher in charge of the project.
“We discovered that the process used to create the new material allows the polymer to form a unique structure in the form of water-dispersing nanoparticles, which promotes close contact with the graphene oxide sheet,” adds Maser. This contact, in turn, causes a change in the electrical behavior of the material and makes it more electric. We are very interested in poropthiplie because he has a visual optical, electrical at electrochromic.
When giving light, it produces electricity, it produces fire, but it is producing much”, doing well, carbonnology (g-cnn). This research group has spent many years studying graphene oxide, a nanomaterial made from graphene, which has unique properties, which is dispersible in water and easy to produce. “We think that creating a hybrid between the two can solve this problem,” says Benito.
“Our idea is to change the polythiophene by replacing it with small nanoscale spheres, which we call nanoparticles, which are easily combined with graphene oxide. In addition, this method made it possible to work with water, which is very strong in this type of polymer”, emphasizes Benito, who admits that he did not see any change in the electronics of the material.
“However, after further research, we found that the new material makes electricity travel so fast that we cannot find it in the normal system. Collaboration with researchers from the universities of Murcia, Cartagena and Zaragoza confirmed to us the importance of what we found”, he shows.
Technological change
This research has important implications for various technological applications, such as the production of flexible displays, portable electronics and advanced electronic documents. According to Eduardo Colom, the director of the paper and a researcher at G-CNN, “these devices will be efficient, simple, flexible and sustainable compared to the current devices, because they will be based on the elements of the environment and have good electricity.
” Furthermore, this development can also improve the performance of organic solar cells, which can capture solar energy more efficiently and economically. “Caution, we are talking about the opportunity to apply other devices and quick response. Colom adds us to all this is nearing a higher and higher technology.
Approval for support
The new hardware is also sustainable because the manufacturing process uses water as a solvent instead of toxic chemicals, unlike other processes currently in use. This can help reduce the environmental impact of electronic device manufacturing.
Furthermore, this synthetic strategy can be extended to other types of conducting polymers, with implications for various technical applications. Therefore, the findings are important for the design of new structures of high-performance optoelectronic devices. The five researchers who make up G-CNN have specialized in recent years in creating nanomaterials that work well in the environment.
These nanomaterials can be used for a large number of applications, from processes related to obtaining clean energy – such as the production of green hydrogen, catalysis, or energy storage – to the conservation of heritage, creating (bio) sensors or diagnosis and diagnosis disease treatment.
Source: Spanish National Research Council
