FEFU and FEO RAS: Light converter based on rare earth metals

2021: Created a material with light "antennas" capable of increasing the efficiency of solar panels

Material with light "antennas" was developed in FEFU and FEO RAS. This was announced by FEFU on April 19, 2021.

It can be used to visualize defects and increase the efficiency of solar panels.

A material based on europium ions (Eu III) with light "antennas" in the form of special molecules intensively absorbs and emits light. It can become the basis of a large range of other light converter compounds. Some of them can be used to increase the efficiency of solar panels, others can be used as additives to solid materials to visually observe the places of the highest stress of the material under loads, for example, to determine with high accuracy the presence of microcracks on the wings of aircraft or in other parts.

The results were obtained thanks to the molecular design method developed in FEFU and FEO RAS. Based on a large knowledge base, researchers create a theoretical model and make changes to the molecule in order to change or improve its properties. If they notice something interesting in the resulting "sketch," then synthesis is carried out and the theoretical model is experimentally confirmed.

We go from theory to practice, studying the electronic structure of the chemical compound and understanding in detail the mechanism/causes of luminescence of complex compounds of rare earth elements (lanthanides). There are few such studies, due to the complexity of the analysis. By the way, the output file for calculating one compound takes 20MB, there are about 5 such files per substance, "says one of the authors of the study, a candidate phys.-mat. Sciences Anton Shurygin, employee of the Center for Fundamental Materials Science of FEFU and FEO RAS. - One of the interesting results that our team obtained in the molecular modeling of lanthanides is the detection of the mechanoluminescent properties of the obtained compounds. In the form of a crystalline powder, they "react" to an attempt to "crush" crystals by emitting visible light or generating electric current. For example, a thin coating on the wing of the aircraft will fix the formation of microcracks. If such powder is added to concrete, it will be possible to visually record the deformation of building structures.

Based on the approach developed in FEFU and FEO RAS, it is possible to accurately and fully describe the properties and possible areas of application of compounds and then conduct their directed synthesis. The advantage is in saving time, money and raw materials.

Eu (III) ions are the brightest, they are used for light-transforming coatings. Such coatings absorb a large spectrum of solar radiation and emit visible radiation of a strictly defined wavelength. For example, europium-based coatings emit light with a wavelength of 614 nm, while the radiation color is orange (HEX# FF8D00).

As of April 2021, there are another 14 lanthanide elements (rare earth metals) with properties inaccessible to europium and vice versa. For example, in the study of the nitrate complex, where only the central ion changed, it is noted that ions such as cerium, neodymium, erbium and ytterbium changed the applications of the complex. Thus, cerium nitrate can be used as an additive that accelerates the growth of the plant Anoectochilus roxburghii (precious orchids).

At the next stage, scientists plan to add transition metals (for example, zinc) to the compounds of rare earth elements to obtain heterometallic complexes. This will make it possible to achieve greater photostability and expand the physicochemical properties of the resulting structure.

The appearance of a synchrotron on the Russian Island will greatly simplify the task of studying the electronic structure of rare earth metal complexes. Having your own installation will help circumvent the restrictions in the form of large work queues, high rates during use, to which you still need to add travel costs due to the remoteness of other installations.

The development of materials with new properties for various applications is one of the priority areas of the Strategy for the Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation and the main research areas in FEFU, which the university implements in cooperation with the Russian Academy of Sciences.