Solar thermoplasmonic nanofurnaces and method for making and using same

US11319640B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Purdue Research Foundation · US

Inventors

• Vladimir M. Shalaev · West Lafayette, US
• Zhaxylyk Kudyshev · West Lafayette, US
• Alexandra Boltasseva · West Lafayette, US
• Alberto Naldoni · Torino, IT
• Alexander V. Kildishev · West Lafayette, US
• Luca Mascaretti · Olomouc, CZ
• Ŝtêphán Kment · Olomouc, CZ
• Radek Zbo{circumflex over (r)}il · Olomouc, CZ
• Jeong Eun Yoo · Erlangen, DE
• Patrik Schmuki · Erlangen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 3, 2020
• Grant date: May 3, 2022
• Expiry date: Jun 27, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/547
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Titanium nitride (TiN) nanofurnaces are fabricated in a method that involves anodization of a titanium (Ti) foil to form TiO2 nanocavities. After anodization, the TiO2 nanocavities are converted to TiN at 600° C. under ammonia flow. The resulting structure is an array of refractory (high-temperature stable) subwavelength TiN cylindrical cavities that operate as plasmonic nanofurnaces capable of reaching temperatures above 600° C. under moderate concentrated solar irradiation. The nanofurnaces show near-unity solar absorption in the visible and near infrared spectral ranges and a maximum thermoplasmonic solar-to-heat conversion efficiency of 68 percent.