Versatile 1-D Nanostructures for Green
Energy Conversion and Storage Devices
R. R. Deshmukh, A. S. Kalekar, S. R. Khaladkar and O. C. Maurya
Abstract Increasing population and living standards demands high energy provisions; but considering pollution issues and depleting fossil fuel reservoirs, the fulfillment of the energy demands through eco-friendly/green renewable energy technologies have become an urgent need. Among all renewable energy systems, photovoltaic
solar cells (PSC) with energy storage systems (ESS) such as batteries or supercapacitors have attracted great attention as the next generation of energy suppliers.
However, the efficiency of PSC and ESS inherently depends on the electrode material’s properties, like structure, size, shape, charge transport properties, active surface
area, and so on. Owing to maximum active surface area, high surface to volume ratio,
fast charge transport, efficient light harvesting, and simplistic eco-friendly growth,
the one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures has become a promising solution to the
fabrication of efficient PSC and ESS. Here in this chapter we have discussed simple,
cost-effective and environmentally benign growth of 1-D nanostructures and their
efficient application in PSC and ESS. This chapter brings you updated literature
survey on green synthesis of 1-D nanostructures applied in PSC and ESS.
Keywords 1D nanostructures · Solar cells · Batteries · Supercapacitors
1 Introduction
Continuously increasing world population and improving living standards are placing huge demand of energy. It has been speculated that the world energy demand
will reach 612 quadrillions Btu (~649 × 10
18 J or 33 GW years) in 2020 (Ganguly
et al. 2014). Current energy consumption scenario (Fig. 1a) depicts that nearly 70%
of energy demand is fulfilled from fossil fuels that include oil, coal, and natural
gas, which has become our main energy source for human activity. Such a situation
will put us in major problem in future, because fossil fuels are non-renewable and
are depleting. Moreover, global warming, air pollution, environmental degradation,
ozone layer depletion, and ecological devastation are some of the major concerns
R. R. Deshmukh (B) · A. S. Kalekar · S. R. Khaladkar · O. C. Maurya
Department of Physics, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
e-mail: rr.deshmukh@ictmumbai.edu.in
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L. Ledwani and J. S. Sangwai (eds.), Nanotechnology for Energy and Environmental
Engineering, Green Energy and Technology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33774-2_14
329
Energy Conversion and Storage Devices
R. R. Deshmukh, A. S. Kalekar, S. R. Khaladkar and O. C. Maurya
Abstract Increasing population and living standards demands high energy provisions; but considering pollution issues and depleting fossil fuel reservoirs, the fulfillment of the energy demands through eco-friendly/green renewable energy technologies have become an urgent need. Among all renewable energy systems, photovoltaic
solar cells (PSC) with energy storage systems (ESS) such as batteries or supercapacitors have attracted great attention as the next generation of energy suppliers.
However, the efficiency of PSC and ESS inherently depends on the electrode material’s properties, like structure, size, shape, charge transport properties, active surface
area, and so on. Owing to maximum active surface area, high surface to volume ratio,
fast charge transport, efficient light harvesting, and simplistic eco-friendly growth,
the one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures has become a promising solution to the
fabrication of efficient PSC and ESS. Here in this chapter we have discussed simple,
cost-effective and environmentally benign growth of 1-D nanostructures and their
efficient application in PSC and ESS. This chapter brings you updated literature
survey on green synthesis of 1-D nanostructures applied in PSC and ESS.
Keywords 1D nanostructures · Solar cells · Batteries · Supercapacitors
1 Introduction
Continuously increasing world population and improving living standards are placing huge demand of energy. It has been speculated that the world energy demand
will reach 612 quadrillions Btu (~649 × 10
18 J or 33 GW years) in 2020 (Ganguly
et al. 2014). Current energy consumption scenario (Fig. 1a) depicts that nearly 70%
of energy demand is fulfilled from fossil fuels that include oil, coal, and natural
gas, which has become our main energy source for human activity. Such a situation
will put us in major problem in future, because fossil fuels are non-renewable and
are depleting. Moreover, global warming, air pollution, environmental degradation,
ozone layer depletion, and ecological devastation are some of the major concerns
R. R. Deshmukh (B) · A. S. Kalekar · S. R. Khaladkar · O. C. Maurya
Department of Physics, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
e-mail: rr.deshmukh@ictmumbai.edu.in
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L. Ledwani and J. S. Sangwai (eds.), Nanotechnology for Energy and Environmental
Engineering, Green Energy and Technology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33774-2_14
329