One of the first comprehensive books to focus on the role of polymers in the burgeoning energy materials market

Polymers are increasingly finding applications in the areas of energy storage and conversion. A number of recent advances in the control of the polymer molecular structure which allows the polymer properties to be more finely tuned have led to these advances and new applications. Polymers for Energy Storage and Conversion assimilates these advances in the form of a comprehensive text that includes the synthesis and properties of a large number of polymer systems for applications in areas such as lithium batteries, photovoltaics, and solar cells.

Polymers for Energy Storage and Conversion:

• Introduces the structure and properties of polymer hydrogel with respect to its applications for low to intermediate temperature polymer electrolyte-based fuel cells
• Describes PVAc-based polymer blend electrolytes for lithium batteries
• Reviews lithium polymer batteries based on ionic liquids
• Proposes the concept of the solar cell with organic multiple quantum dots (MQDs)
• Discusses solvent effects in polymer-based organic photovoltaic devices
• Provides an overview of the properties of the polymers that factor into their use for solar power, whether for niche applications or for large-scale harvesting
• Reviews the use of macroporous organic polymers as promising materials for energy gas storage

Readership
Materials scientists working with energy materials, polymer engineers, chemists, and other scientists and engineers working with photovoltaics and batteries as well as in the solar and renewable energy sectors.

Vikas Mittal is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at The Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi. He obtained his PhD in 2006 from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. He also worked as a polymer engineer at BASF Polymer Research in Ludwigshafen, Germany. His research interests include polymer nanocomposites, compatibilization of organic and inorganic materials, polymer colloids, thermal stability studies, and anti-corrosion coatings. He has published more than fifty journal publications, authored as well as edited several books on these subjects.

Preface ix

List of Contributors xi

1 High Performance Polymer Hydrogel based Materials for Fuel Cells 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Hydrogel Electrolyte 3

1.3 Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogel 4

Summary 19

References 20

2 PVAc Based Polymer Blend Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries 27

2.1 Introduction 27

Conclusion 49

References 49

3 Lithium Polymer Batteries Based on Ionic Liquids 53

3.1 Lithium Batteries 54

3.2 Lithium Polymer Batteries Containing Ionic Liquids 61

Battery Performance 88

Glossary 94

References 96

4 Organic Quantum Dots Grown by Molecular Layer Deposition for Photovoltaics 103

4.1 Introduction 104

4.2 Molecular Layer Deposition 105

4.3 Concept of Solar Cells with Organic Quantum Dots 107

4.4 Polymer Multiple Quantum Dots 110

4.5 Molecular Multiple Quantum Dots 120

4.6 Waveguide-Type Solar Cells 127

4.7 Summary 135

References 135

5 Solvent Effects in Polymer Based Organic Photovoltaics 137

5.1 Introduction 137

5.2 Solar Cell Device Structure and Prepartion 139

5.3 Spin-Coating of Active Layer 141

5.4 Influence of Solvent on Morphology 143

5.5 Residual Solvent 152

5.6 Summary 156

Acknowledgment 157

References 157

6 Polymer-Inorganic Hybrid Solar Cells 163

6.1 Introduction 163

6.2 Hybrid Conjugated Polymer-Inorganic Semiconductor Composites 173

6.3 Conclusion 185

References 191

7 Semiconducting Polymer-based Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells 199

7.1 Introduction 199

7.2 Optical Properties of Semiconducting Polymers 200

7.3 Electrical Properties of Semiconducting Polymers 206

7.4 Mechanical Properties Polymer Solar Cells 208

7.5 Processing of Polymers 210

7.6 State-of-the-art of the Technology 212

References 213

8 Energy Gas Storage in Porous Polymers 215

8.1 Introduction 216

8.2 Microporous Organic Polymers 217

8.3 Characterization of MOPs 239

Conclusion 242

List of Abbreviation 242

References 243