In May 2024, Paul Mulvaney, a professor at the University of Melbourne, and the team from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science visited the ClearVue Technologies and discussed the outcomes of the research of the ClearVue nanoparticles they’ve been working on, and explored avenues for future engagement.

Dr. Paul Mulvaney is an Australian physicist and chemist known for his contributions to nanoscience and nanotechnology. He is particularly recognized for his work on the synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles, as well as their applications in various fields including medicine, energy, and materials science. Dr. Mulvaney’s research often focuses on understanding nanomaterials’ optical and electronic properties, and he has made significant advances in the study of plasmonics and quantum dots. Dr. Mulvaney is a professor at the University of Melbourne and has been involved in numerous collaborative research projects and scientific organizations. His work has been widely published in scientific journals, and he has received several awards for his contributions to science.

 

The ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science have worked for almost a year studying various formulations of the ClearVue micro and nano particles which are part of the fluorescent PVB interlayer, integral to ClearVue solar vision glass technology.

We asked Dr. Paul Mulvaney to share some insights and outcomes of his research.

Q: What can you say about the potential of ClearVue’s current solar vision glass technology?

A: Clearvue is leading the challenge of building integrated photovoltaics in Australia. ClearVue powered windows enable any building in Australia to be fitted with transparent windows, yet able to generate significant solar electricity. In principle, a large fraction of a building’s energy consumption could be covered by these windows. It is fantastic to have an Australian company leading the way in such innovation.

 

Q: You’ve done a lot of testing recently comparing Clearvue’s microparticle-loaded PVB performance with other glass-based luminescent concentrator materials (like quantum dots), and also combining ClearVue nanoparticles with other high-performance fluorescent materials. Can you share some of the insights?

A: It took us significant time and effort to find the quantum dot materials that were providing similar performance to the ClearVue nanoparticles (in the 10x10cm size sample).  To achieve that, we had to use large quantities of quantum dot materials, and this led to a significant colouration of the sample, while the ClearVue materials remained very clear.

Clearvue’s baseline technology uses existing commercial phosphors to harvest sunlight. Work with Australian researchers at the Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science at the University of Melbourne has opened up access to new materials including quantum dots, conducting polymers, perovskite-based nanocrystals, upconverters and tailor-made phosphors, which will help the company transition to its next generation of photovoltaic windows.

Image: ClearVue PVB laminated samples compared with Exciton’s quantum dots loaded samples (S1, S2). ClearVue materials provide less bright colouration in their fluorescence despite a similarly strong performance in energy conversion.

Q: You researched adding advanced fluorescent inks developed at Melbourne University to enhance the performance of existing fluorescent PVB developed so far by ClearVue. What’s the outcome of this research?

A: We looked into adding the quantum dots materials to the existing mixture of ClearVue proprietary particles to enhance the performance of PVB. Quantum dots are photostable materials, there’s a great range of them and they possess various optical properties. Quantum dots can easily be dispersed into PVB and other polymers. Their higher fluorescence makes them ideal candidates to supersede conventional phosphors in both transparent (colourless) and coloured PV windows. Australia could easily manufacture these materials which are amenable to flow synthesis or batch production. We are pleased with the outcomes of our research, but there are so many avenues we’d like to explore further.

 

Q: We discussed the potential collaboration on the production of customised solar PV strips based on existing Melbourne infrastructure and capabilities, what are your thoughts on that?

A: It will be a smart step for Clearvue to enhance its patented PV strip technology by on-shoring the silicon fabrication. As noted in recent discussions, the time is now right for Australia itself to produce these flexible PV strips with the world’s best solar efficiency. Dr. James Bullock from Electrical Engineering agrees and notes that customizing PV strip design for window applications is a value-add process that helps integrate Australia into the global PV technology system.

 

Q: Any remarks on the potential collaboration with Melbourne Safety Glass, that could bring our research results from labs into factory production?

A: Australia is well placed to develop optical materials such as smart glass because we have innovative companies such as Melbourne Safety Glass (MSG), who can produce a wide range of aesthetic and functional glass materials. MSG is the ideal partner for the development of locally produced photovoltaic windows. It will be great to see MS Glass, ClearVue and the University of Melbourne produce innovative product samples which can be further tested in real-life conditions.

 

The ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science is a research initiative in Australia focused on understanding and manipulating excitons. Excitons are quasi-particles formed when electrons absorb light and become excited, creating electron-hole pairs. The Centre’s work involves:

Fundamental Research: Investigating the fundamental properties of excitons in various materials to understand their behavior and interactions.

Material Development: Creating new materials that can efficiently generate, transport, and manipulate excitons, such as advanced semiconductors and organic materials.

Energy Applications: Developing technologies for energy harvesting, such as more efficient solar cells, by optimizing exciton dynamics.

Optoelectronics: Improving devices like LEDs and sensors by enhancing their performance through better exciton management.

Collaborative Efforts: Partnering with industry and other research institutions to translate fundamental discoveries into practical applications.

The Centre aims to advance scientific knowledge and develop innovative technologies that can contribute to energy efficiency and sustainability.