Materials for Solar Energy Conversion

This book provides professionals and students with a resource on the basic principles and applications of solar energy materials and processes, as well as practicing engineers who want to understand how functional materials operate in solar energy conversion systems.

The demand for energy is increasing daily, and the development of sustainable power generation is a critical issue. In order to overcome the energy demand, power generation through solar energy is booming. Many research works have attempted to enhance the efficiency of collection and storage of solar energy and, as a result, numerous advanced functional materials have been developed for enhancing the performance of solar cells.

This book has compiled and broadly explores the latest developments of materials, methods, and applications of solar energy. The book is divided into 2 parts, in which the first part deals with solar cell fundamentals and emerging categories, and the latter part deals with materials, methods, and applications in order to fill the gap between existing technologies and practical requirements. The book presents detailed chapters including organic, inorganic, coating materials, and collectors. The use of modern computer simulation techniques, conversion and storage processes are effectively covered. Topics such as nanostructured solar cells, battery materials, etc. are included in this book as well.

Audience The book is aimed at researchers in materials science, chemistry, physics, electrical and mechanical engineering working in the fields of nanotechnology, photovoltaic device technology, and solar energy.

R. Rajasekar PhD, Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongu Engineering College (an Autonomous Institution under Anna University), Tamilnadu, India. He obtained his PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and specializes in materials science and engineering, renewable energy, surface coating on solar cells, and tribological performance of carbide inserts. He has published more than 100 research articles in reputed international journals, as well as more than 30 book chapters.

C. Moganapriya PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongu Engineering College (An Autonomous Institution under Anna University), Tamilnadu, India. She completed her PhD in 2019, and her current research area includes surface engineering of solar cells for performance enhancement of power conversion efficiency and tribological performance of cutting tool insert by adopting several hard coating materials. She has published 13 research articles and 15 book chapters with international publishers.

A. Mohan Kumar PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongu Engineering College (An Autonomous Institution under Anna University), Tamil Nadu. He completed his postgraduate degree at Government College of Engineering, Salem. His research areas are the characterization of reinforced composite materials, composite machining polymer coatings, and nanocomposite coatings. He has published 13 research articles and book chapters.