Metal Chalcogenide Nanostructures for Renewable Energy Applications

This first ever reference book that focuses on metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanostructures for renewable energy applications encapsulates the state-of-the-art in multidisciplinary research on the metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanostructures (nanocrystals, nanoparticles, nanorods, nanowires,  nanobelts, nanoflowers, nanoribbons and more).  The properties and synthesis of a class of nanomaterials is essential to renewable energy manufacturing and this book focuses on the synthesis of metal chalcogendie nanostructures, their growth mechanism, optical, electrical, and other important properties and their applications in different diverging fields like photovoltaics, hydrogen production, theromelectrics, lithium battery, energy storage, photocatalysis, sensors. An important reference source for students, scientists, engineers, researchers and industrialists working on nanomaterials-based energy aspects associated with chemistry, physics, materials science, electrical engineering, energy science and technology, and environmental science.

Preface xiii Part 1: Renewable Energy Conversion Systems 1 1 Introduction: An Overview of Metal Chalcogenide Nanostructures for Renewable Energy Applications 3 Ahsanulhaq  Qurashi 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Metal Chalcogenide Nanostructures 7 1.3 Growth of Metal Chalcogenide Nanostructures 8 1.4 Applications of Metal Chalcogenide Nanostructures 16 1.5 Summary and Future Perspective 18 References 18 2 Renewable Energy and Materials 23 Muhammad Asif 2.1 Global Energy Scenario 23 2.2 Role of Renewable Energy in Sustainable Energy Future 25 2.3 Importance of Materials Role in Renewable Energy 27 References 30 3 Sustainable Feed Stock and Energy Futures 33 H. Idriss 3.1 Introduction 33 3.2 Discussion 34 References 41 Part 2: Synthesis of Metal Chalcogenide Nanostructures 43 4 Metal-Selenide Nanostructures: Growth and Properties 45 Ramin Yousefi 4.1 Introduction 45 4.2 Growth and Properties of Different Groups of Metal-Selenide Nanostructures 48 4.3 Metal Selenides from III?VI Semiconductors 57 4.4 Metal Selenides from IV?VI Semiconductors 61 4.5 Metal Selenides from V?VI Semiconductors 66 4.6 Metal Selenides from Transition Metal (TM) 69 4.7 Ternary Metal-Selenide Compounds 75 4.8 Summary and Future Outlook 78 Acknowledgment 79 References 79 5 Growth Mechanism and Surface Functionalization of Metal Chalcogenides Nanostructures 83 Muhammad Nawaz Tahir, Jugal Kishore Sahoo, Faegheh Hoshyargar, and Wolfgang Tremel 5.1 Introduction 84 5.2 Synthetic Methods for Layered Metal Chalcogenides 89 5.3 Surface Functionalization of Layered Metal Dichalcogenide Nanostructures 102 5.4 Applications of Inorganic Nanotubes and Fullerenes 110 References 113 6 Optical and Structural Properties of Metal Chalcogenide Semiconductor  Nanostructures 123 Ihsan-ul-Haq Toor and Shafique Khan 6.1 Optical Properties of Metal Chalcogenides Semiconductor Nanostructures 124 6.2 Structural Properties and Defects of Metal Chalcogenide Semiconductor Nanostructures 133 References 142 7 Structural and Optical Properties of CdS Nanostructures 147 Y. Al-Douri, Abdulwahab S. Z. Lahewil, U. Hashim, and N. M. Ahmed 7.1 Introduction 147 7.2 Nanomaterials 150 7.3 II-VI Semiconductors 152 7.4 Sol-Gel Process 155 7.5 Structural and Surface Characterization of Nanostructured CdS 156 7.6 Optical Properties 159 7.7 Conclusion 161 Acknowledgments 162 References 162 Part 3: Applications of Metal Chalcogenides Nanostructures 165 8 Metal Sulfide Photocatalysts for Hydrogen Generation by Water Splitting under Illumination of Solar Light 167 Dr. Zhonghai Zhang 8.1 Introduction 167 8.2 Photocatalytic Water Splitting on Single Metal Sulfide 169 8.3 Photocatalytic Water Splitting on Multi-metal Sulfide 173 8.4 Metal Sulfides Solid-Solution Photocatalysts 180 8.5 Summary and Future Outlook 184 References 184 9 Metal Chalcogenide Hierarchical Nanostructures for Energy Conversion Devices 189 Ramin Yousefi, Farid Jamali-Sheini, and Ali Khorsand Zak 9.1 Introduction 190 9.2 Main Characteristics of Cd-Chalcogenide Nanocrystals (CdE; E = S, Se, Te) 192 9.3 Different Methods to Grow Cd-Chalcogenide Nanocrystals 192 9.4 Solar Energy Conversion 212 9.5 Cd-Chalcogenide Nanocrystals as Solar Energy Conversion 219 9.6 Summary and Future Outlook 230 References 230 10 Metal Chalcogenide Quantum Dots for Hybrid Solar Cell Applications 233 Mir Waqas Alam and Ahsanulhaq Qurashi 10.1 Introduction 233 10.2 Chemical Synthesis of Quantum Dots 235 10.3 Quantum Dots Solar cell 238 10.4 Summary and Future Prospects 243 References 243 11 Solar Cell Application of Metal Chalcogenide Semiconductor Nanostructures 247 Hongjun Wu 11.1 Introduction 247 11.2 Chalcogenide-Based Thin-Film Solar Cells 248 11.3 CdTe-Based Solar Cells 249 11.4 Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGS)-Based Solar Cells 251 11.5 Metal Chalcogenides-Based Quantum-Dots-Sensitized Solar Cells (QDSSCs) 253 11.6 Hybrid Metal Chalcogenides Nanostructure-Conductive Polymer Composite Solar Cells 257 11.7 Conclusions 261 References 262 12 Chalcogenide-Based Nanodevices for Renewable Energy 269 Y. Al-Douri 12.1 Introduction 269 12.2 Renewable Energy 272 12.3 Nanodevices 274 12.4 Density Functional Theory 277 12.5 Analytical Studies 278 12.6 Conclusion 284 Acknowledgments 285 References 285 13 Metal Tellurides Nanostructures for Thermoelectric Applications 289 Salman B. Inayat 13.1 Introduction 290 13.2 Thermoelectric Microdevice Fabricated by a MEMS-Like Electrochemical Process 290 13.3 Bi2Te3-Based Flexible Micro Thermoelectric Generator 292 13.4 High-Thermoelectric Performance of Nanostructured  Bismuth Antimony Telluride Bulk Alloys 293 13.5 Nano-manufactured Thermoelectric Glass Windows for Energy Efficient Building Technologies 294 13.6 Conclusion 296 References 297