Nano³ Energies

This activity is the one that is most naturally in continuity with our former activity of aggregate physics and the study of their optical and electronic properties. This research operation combines green chemical synthesis of nanoparticles and self-organization or induced organization of these nanoparticles on surfaces to constitute nanostructures with considerable emerging properties.
In the conversion of light energy, visible radiation remains the main source, most of the near infrared range is not usable when it comes to collect radiation by solar cells based on silicon for example. One technological solution is to add a receiver for this spectral range through the use of nano-structured antennas capable of producing thermoelectricity via the Seebeck effect for example. Although the geometry is a crucial factor in the design of these nano-antennas (collaboration with the University of San Luis Potosi, Mexico), the main issue remains to understand the coupling between photon absorption and heat transfer to the nanostructure on the one hand and the evaluation of the thermopower (heat-electricity conversion factor) as a function of the morphological properties on the other hand (project with ICP and LPTMS)

The study of the superconducting properties of metallic aggregates (collaboration with Moscow) and the properties of supercapacitors of iron oxide nanoparticles produced by green synthesis (collaboration with ENPC, Algeria) complete the grouping in this research operation, of our activities around the conversion, transport and storage of energy.