What is it about?
We made a small power battery by absorbing light and converting it to heat (Photothermal, PT) using a thermoelectric (TE) converter. While solar cells directly convert light to current (photovoltaic), this is a photo-thermo-electric conversion. An absorber, as dark as possible, is required, which is efficient in producing heat. Here, we used polydopamine, a precursor to the skin pigment melanin, on an infrared absorber called upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) to promote absorption in the IR. and emit green visible light The polydopamine will absorb the visible light from the lamp and that emitted from the UCNP and convert it to heat. This increase the photothermal conversion and the output voltage.
Featured Image
Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash
Why is it important?
These devices use waste heat from industry, body heat, or even sunlight to produce useful power for consumer electronics. For example, charging devices used by soldiers in a stand-alone situation.
Perspectives
The PTE conversion efficiency is relatively small. If we can increase it by the proper choice of material and device design, we can have an alternative to photovoltaics.
Surojit Chattopadhyay
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Synergistic photothermoelectric energy conversion in core-shell polydopamine coated upconversion nanoparticles, Journal of Applied Physics, April 2025, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0251008.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
