Title: Harvesting solar energy In near infrared

Biography:

Dongling Ma is a professor at INRS, Canada. Her research interest consists in the development of various nanomaterials and nanohybrids for applications in energy, catalysis and biomedical sectors. She has published >140 papers in reputed journals (such as Chemical Society Review, Energy Environ. Sci., ACS Energy Lett., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Adv. Mater., Adv. Energy Mater., ACS Nano, Adv. Funct. Mater., etc.) and delivered ~120 invited speeches at conferences (including prestigious ACS, ECS, etc.) and prestigious universities/government laboratories. She has served as an editorial board member of ACS Energy Lett., Sci. Rep., Frontier of Materials (Energy) and PhotoniX. She has sit on committee for different funding agencies in Canada, European Commission, etc.

Abstract

Broadening photon absorption into the near infrared (NIR) range represents a unique opportunity of improving the use of solar energy in various fields, including but not limited to solar fuel, solar cells and solar-enabled photo-degradation of pollutants. It is however challenging to realize this goal as most of traditional materials, such as dyes & semiconductors, do not absorb NIR lights efficiently. Recent advances of nanomaterials opens a new door in this research theme. With unique physical and chemical properties, nanomaterials have indeed attracted extensive attention in the past two decades. In particular, due to their unique, size- and shape-tunable surface plasmon resonance, plasmonic nanostructures have recently been explored for enhancing the efficiency of solar cells and photocatalysis via improved light scattering, strong near field effect and/or hot electron injection. On the other hand, near infrared quantum dots (QDs) with size tunable bandgaps, broad absorption, and high potential for multiple exciton generation represent a class of promising solar energy absorbing materials. Above are just two examples of promising nanomaterials. Combination of different nanomaterials into a single architecture leads to improved properties, or even more promising, multifunctionalities. In this talk, I will present some of our recent work on the design and synthesis of NIR absorbing materials (such as NIR plasmonic nanostructures, NIR absorbing QDs and two-dimensional black phosphorous) and on their combination with semiconductors for extending photon absorption into the NIR range for application in solar fuel and photocatalysis [1-8]. Rational design of hybrid nanomaterials, which is the key to maximize the benefits from respective nano-components, is highlighted.