Prospective Life-Cycle Modeling of Quantum Dot Nanoparticles for Use in Photon Upconversion Devices

Abstract

Quantum dot nanoparticles (NPs) can be used in several applications, for example, photon upconversion devices that increase the electricity output of solar modules. In order to facilitate life cycle assessment (LCA) studies of such applications, this study provides ready-to-use LCA unit process data for four NPs suitable for photon upconversion applications: cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, lead selenide, and lead sulfide. The data is provided for two prospective scenarios: one optimistic and one pessimistic. An impact assessment is conducted in order to assess the NPs' climate change performance, where solvent-related processes such as steam production for recycling and hazardous waste treatment are shown to be hotspots. To show the applicability of the data, a prospective assessment of a solar module with an upconversion layer is conducted to investigate whether it is preferable from a climate perspective to install more solar modules or equip existing ones with upconversion devices, leading to more electricity produced in both cases. The assessment shows that solar modules need to become 0.05−2 percentage points more efficient per gram of NPs applied, depending on the scenario, in order for the upconversion layer to be preferable.

Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries for Stationary Energy Storage

“…Only one multifunctional process was modeled explicitly within this work, trimethylsilyl chloride production, with the coproducts dimethyldichlorosilane, methyltrichlorosilane, dichloromethylsilane, and dimethylchlorosilane. Because of the challenges of estimating future prices, mass-based allocation was selected as the partitioning approach for this process, following Wickerts et al In addition, several data sets obtained from the Ecoinvent database were already preallocated, which is often the case in LCA databases . These data sets were applied without altering the partitioning.…”

Photon Upconversion for Photovoltaics and Photocatalysis: A Critical Review

“…192 The authors note that although the analysis was based on QDsensitized TTA-UC, the organic molecules are not considered in the LCA study as, for example, the mass of QDs is 160−180 times greater than commonly used annihilator molecules such as rubrene. 192 9. UC PERSPECTIVES FOR OTHER PV TECHNOLOGIES The most prominent commercially available thin-film PV modules are based on absorber layers of a-Si:H, copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), cadmium telluride (CdTe), or metal halide perovskites.…”

“…An additional benchmark was recently detailed by Wickerts et al, who conducted a life-cycle analysis (LCA) study on a QD-sensitized UC layer to be placed behind a bifacial c-Si solar cell . The authors conclude that the resulting UC-enhanced PV modules need to exhibit an efficiency increase between 0.2–1 abs% per gram of QDs applied for the UC layer to be a preferable solution from a climate change point of view.…”

“…The authors conclude that the resulting UC-enhanced PV modules need to exhibit an efficiency increase between 0.2–1 abs% per gram of QDs applied for the UC layer to be a preferable solution from a climate change point of view. The broad range resulted from assumptions regarding the level of environmental impact of the scenarios and a realistic amount of PbS/PbSe QDs needed to cover 1 m 2 (0.1–0.7 g m –2 ) . The authors note that although the analysis was based on QD-sensitized TTA-UC, the organic molecules are not considered in the LCA study as, for example, the mass of QDs is 160–180 times greater than commonly used annihilator molecules such as rubrene …”

“…The broad range resulted from assumptions regarding the level of environmental impact of the scenarios and a realistic amount of PbS/PbSe QDs needed to cover 1 m 2 (0.1–0.7 g m –2 ) . The authors note that although the analysis was based on QD-sensitized TTA-UC, the organic molecules are not considered in the LCA study as, for example, the mass of QDs is 160–180 times greater than commonly used annihilator molecules such as rubrene …”