This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation supports Professor Carl C. Wamser of Portland State University. His research proposes to develop the next generation of solar cells that depends on the development of new materials that are durable and inexpensive, while also satisfying the key criteria for efficiency, i.e., thermodynamics and kinetics that optimize light harvesting, charge separation, and transport of electrons and holes. The project will investigate novel polymers created by oxidative polymerization of porphyrins with aminophenyl substituents. Since the polymeric species have already been prepared, the thrusts of this proposal rely on the structural characterization of the material and the determination of the mechanism of its electronic conductivity. Specifically, the aims are to clarify the structural linkages that interconnect the porphyrin units, develop a mechanism for the polymerization process, elucidate the factors that govern the electronic conductivity, and study the potential role of these materials in novel solar cell configurations. New directions are proposed for the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), which should be of considerable fundamental interest and could point to new directions for achieving major technological goals in direct solar photoconversion. Considerable preliminary evidence supports his capacity to synthesize robust porphyrin-based nanofibers and coat them with electron-conducting semiconductor particles, so it is evident that the proposed studies can be undertaken. The approach described is very imaginative and offers a novel architecture to probe for efficient charge separation/current generation by solar photons.
The broader impacts of the proposed research will address renewable energy resources, which are of tremendous global importance, not only for their inherent value, but also as a means of minimizing global warming. Professor Wamser's concerns on climate change and energy issues are incorporated into his academic activities. As part of his teaching, in large classes, he emphasizes issues of sustainability and the potential of solar energy in meeting human needs. A consequence of these activities has been a continuous flow of undergraduate students into his lab who are interested in the subject where they will receive a meaningful research experience. During the summer, he has opened his laboratory to underrepresented students as part of the ACS Project SEED. Interaction with high schools and the community at large is an important component of his outreach activities. Therefore, one of the major goals of this research project is to strengthen Professor Wamser's credibility when communicating with the public.
