Scientists Improve the Properties of Nanotubes using a Simple Doping Method
It is now possible to control the doping of carbon nanotubes according to Yale University researchers. This simple process optimizes the tubes properties to deliver results and it is said to be effective enough to improve the utility of doped carbon in various nanotechnologies and a flexible electron including silicon hybrid energy cells.
The study led by Andre Taylor and Nilay Hazari both of Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science and department of chemistry respectively developed a technique, metallocenes- a method that utilizes organic compounds with a metal core to produce two possible types of doped carbon.
Minimal amounts of metallocenes in liquid are placed on CNTs that are then rotated at high speed which will result in the spread of the liquid uniformly across the surface of the CNTs and the result will be high levels of doping that can enhance electrical value. The researchers using this method discovered that doping with electron deficient metallocenes especially the ones with cobalt core transforms into CNTs with extra positively charged electron holes compared to present negatively charged electrons to fill the holes. Because of their positive charge, they are referred to as p-type. Doping with electron rich metallocenes, on the other hand, especially those with vanadium core the final results is negatively charged CNTs otherwise known as n-type since it has fewer holes than electrons.
These are the first household of molecules demonstrated to produce both n and p sort variety doping. The researchers also including doctoral candidates Louise Guard and Xiaokai showed that by altering the coordinate of metal of metalocerene, we could render the carbon nanotubes n-variety and p-variety at will or even go back and forth between the two.
These findings are substantial and although although p-variety doping is quite popular and occurs naturally when CNTs come into contact with air, prior n-variety doping techniques created low doping levels that could not be utilized correctly in devices. Therefore, the Yale team created n-form CNT silicon cells extra than four hundred and fifty more efficient compared to the most effective solar cells of this type.
If you have higher doping ratio, then you have enhanced electron transport, enhanced mobility and of course better working devices. As such, these findings move us at least one step further towards attaining the objective of enhancing hybrid solar cells efficiency and as such we all we can do is to wait for what the future holds.
