Principal investigator: Xavier Crispin
We investigate the possibility to use organic semiconducting molecules, polymers or composites in energy devices. One focus is to functionalize forest-based materials, such as cellulose and lignin and implement them into energy devices. Through simple chemical synthesis and polymerization, we fabricate new materials and composites. One key advantage of organics is that they are composed of atomic elements of high natural abundancy; which is highly relevant for mass implementation of energy devices. Energy devices can be separated into conversion and storage devices.
The Organic Energy materials group study the conversion of heat into electricity through several effects: Seebeck effect of electronic charge carriers, Soret effect of ions and thermogalvanic effect of redox molecules. We also investigate the reverse effect for cooling applications.
We finally study the conversion of electricity into chemical energy in energy storage applications, such as organic batteries or H2-storage materials.
Finally we study the conversion of mechanical energy into electricity by piezoelectric organic polymers.
The Organic Energy Material group is part of the Wood Wallenberg Science Center and have collaboration with Ligna Energy AB and Redoxme.